Residents of University Avenue Corridor Neighborhoods Invited to Community Meeting

A team of University of North Dakota graduate students in collaboration with the City of Grand Forks and the Community Foundation of Grand Forks, East Grand Forks & Region invites community members to gather for a meeting to discuss potential projects along the corridor at the Salvation Army on University Avenue at 6:00 p.m. on May 10th. The goal of this meeting is for residents to determine what is most important to them, and how they want ongoing improvement efforts to be directed. 

With funding from the Knight Foundation Donor-Advised Fund at the Community Foundation of Grand Forks, East Grand Forks & Region in partnership with the City of Grand Forks and the University of North Dakota  an interdisciplinary team of four graduate students has been organized to connect with and act as a resource to individuals in the community who are interested in moving forward their thoughts and vision for the neighborhoods and areas identified in the University Avenue Corridor Study prepared by JLG Architects. 

The students began organizing one-on-one listening sessions with individual community members March 1st, and these are still ongoing. With the goal of moving forward community improvement ideas, this first meeting on May 10th invites all residents within the area to discuss the findings of those individual meetings and begin to prioritize future plans as a neighborhood. 

It is the students’ goal to listen to residents about their interests, to help facilitate communication within the neighborhood, and to act as a resource to the community to help bring about the changes residents would most like to see. The team is looking forward to the community event on May 10th, as it will be the first event for residents to meet together, organize as a group, and discuss what they believe their neighborhood most needs to prioritize going forward with the opportunity presented by the Knight Foundation Donor-Advised Fund and the 2021 study put forth by the Community Foundation of Grand Forks, East Grand Forks & Region. 

The study, a vision document created in consultation with JLG Architects, began with a community-wide online survey and was followed by public engagement events. The study findings are broken down into four categories that were identified during the process: Enhancing Corridor Safety, Integrating All Forms of Transportation, Boosting Corridor Activity, and Celebrating Neighborhood Identity. Residents have continued to comment on or suggest ideas related to these four themes, and their ideas will be the focus of the May 10th meeting. 

The students will continue to engage in one-on-one listening sessions with residents of the area to hear what they most want to see happen in their community. Interested individuals can get in touch at [email protected]. 

All are welcome to attend the community meeting on May 10th at the Salvation Army on University Avenue, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Food, including vegan and gluten-free options, will be available. Individuals with any other accessibility concerns are encouraged to contact the team at [email protected] in advance so they can make a support plan.