Category Archives: News

CSPDC Launches Rebranded Website for Bike the Valley Program

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STAUNTON (November 29, 2018) — Shenandoah Valley visitors and residents have a refreshed resource for exploring cycling opportunities in the region, thanks to the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC) and a grant from the Virginia Tourism Corporation.  BiketheValley.org went live earlier this month, offering expanded options for on-road, gravel, mountain biking, and family-friendly, paved-trail cycling. Developed with input from local cyclists, the site features information on bike-friendly lodging, bike shops, local events and rides, as well as interactive maps that can be downloaded to GPS devices.

Bike the Valley is a CSPDC program that helps promote bicycling for exercise, recreation, and as a means of transportation, as well as the Shenandoah Valley as a bicycling destination. The addition of this updated, mobile-responsive website provides bicyclists of all skill levels access to current information on classic rides of varied length and difficulty throughout a five-county region.

The Virginia Tourism Corporation’s Marketing Leverage Program provided partial funding for the new site. An expanded Facebook presence and interface with Ride with GPS will accompany the site launch.

For more information about the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee please visit the www.bikethevalley.org or call the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission at 540-885-5174.

BRITE Bus Offers Free Rides on Election Day

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Many polling places in Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County served.  

BRITE Bus is offering free rides on Election Day – November 6th.  BRITE Bus routes serve many of the polling places in Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County.

BRITE is the public transit system that serves the City of Staunton, City of Waynesboro and parts of Augusta County including Stuarts Draft with stops at Augusta Health, Wilson Workforce Rehabilitation Center, and Blue Ridge Community College.

For more information on BRITE Bus routes and times, visit www.britebus.org  or connect on Facebook.

 

 

 

Virginia Telecommunications Initiative Grant Announced

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The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) announced the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) grant for FY19. The primary objective of VATI is to provide financial assistance to supplement construction costs by private sector broadband service providers, in partnership with local units of government, to extend service to areas that presently are unserved by any broadband provider.

The goal is to enhance sustainability and competitive advantages of communities throughout the Commonwealth by preparing those communities to build, utilize, and capitalize on telecommunications infrastructure. Consistent with the enabling legislation, DHCD will award the $4 million FY 2019 appropriation to eligible applicants to provide last-mile services to unserved areas of the State.

October is Rideshare Month

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In celebration of Rideshare Month, the CSPDC will be sending out Rideshare postcards and brochures to regional employers, as well as highlighting Vanpool!VA, a website launched by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation as a single resource for vanpool matching across the state.
RideShare is a program of the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission and the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission that provides outreach and other services to reduce single-occupant vehicles on the road by facilitating the use of alternative transportation, such as carpooling, walking, biking, and using transit.

Tour de Farm Unveils Logo

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Tour de Farm is a developing bike-to-farm program that combines the Bike the Valley and Fields of Gold Farm Trail programs, both administered by the CSPDC, and is guided by a working group of bicyclists, Fields of Gold members, tourism staff, CSPDC staff, and community leaders.

The working group is identifying and mapping routes, determining potential Farm Trail stops along routes, creating a marketing plan, and identifying funding opportunities.

At a recent meeting of the working group, the Tour de Farm logo was unveiled. Pulling elements from both the Fields of Gold and Bike the Valley logos, the Tour de Farm logo is comprised of a bicycle wheel tread encircling the Blue Ridge Mountains, a rooster in the foreground, and a bold Tour de Farm ribbon with a golden bike gear as a focal point. The costs to create the logo were supported with funding from the Virginia Tourism Corporation.
Ultimately, Tour de Farm route and event information will be available on both Bike the Valley and Fields of Gold websites and widely marketed and promoted.

CEDS Public Notice

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The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC) is seeking public comment on the draft Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). The CEDS document is an economic development tool designed to leverage assets from across the Central Shenandoah Region to bolster the regional economy. The CEDS will prepare the CSPDC to pursue future funding opportunities with the Economic Development Administration and act as a roadmap for future economic development endeavors across the region.

The document, as well as the mandatory criteria used in the creation of the document, is available for review here or at the CSPDC Office, 112 MacTanly Place; Staunton, VA 24401. Comments may be submitted to the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission at elizabeth@cspdc.org or the above address.  Comments will be accepted from September 12-October 12, 2018.  The CEDS Committee will consider adoption of the CEDS document during the CSPDC meeting on October 15, 2018, at the CSPDC Office.

GO Virginia Region 8 Council Now Accepting Project Proposals

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The GO Virginia Region 8 Council is pleased to announce that it is accepting proposals for projects to be funded through the State’s GO Virginia initiative.  The Region 8 Council has approximately $1.6 million in GO Virginia funds to award to projects in the region.  The upcoming application deadline is October 5, 2018, for per capita and enhanced capacity building proposals.

For a project to be considered by the Region 8 Council complete the application available on the Shenandoah Valley Partnership’s website at: https://theshenandoahvalley.com/govirginia/  Also at that link is an application guide that offers background information on GO Virginia and the Region 8 Council, provides the criteria for eligible projects, and outlines the application and award process.

 

September is National Preparedness Month

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National Preparedness Month is a nationwide campaign held each September to educate about the importance of preparation before disasters occur. This year’s National Preparedness Month focuses on planning. The theme is “Disasters Happen. Prepare Now. Learn How.”
Each week of National Preparedness Month, the Ready Campaign emphasizes a unique aspect of preparedness:
Week 1: Sept 1-8 – Make and Practice Your Plan
Week 2: Sept 9-15 – Learn Life Saving Skills
Week 3: Sept 16-22 – Check Your Insurance Coverage
Week 4: Sept 23-29 – Save For an Emergency
The CSPDC provides year-round resiliency and disaster preparedness education and training in our region through its public awareness program, Shenandoah Valley Project Impact, and by coordinating the  Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro Community Emergency Response Team.

Annual Meeting Held

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The CSPDC recently held its annual meeting at the Stonewall Jackson Hotel, with more than 60 people in attendance. Highlights of the event were keynote from Alex Tranmer, Camoin Associates on the CSPDC’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, presentations from staff, and the distribution of the FY 18 Year in Review.

YIR18 Web

We greatly appreciate the support of our sponsors for this event:

American Office
A. Morton Thomas & Associates, Inc.
Brown, Edwards & Company, L.L.P.
Draper Aden Associates
Hurt & Proffitt, Inc.
KFH Group, Inc.
Litten & Sipe, LLP
Timmons Group
Union Bank & Trust
Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc.
Virginia Regional Transit (VRT)

DONATIONS:  Joelle Zaretsky, Your Logo Here Promo’s, Inc.

 

 

 

BRITE Bus Launches New Website

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BRITE Bus recently announced the launch of a new website featuring easy access to BRITE Bus information, particularly for mobile phone users.  The site is located at www.britebus.org and includes real-time service alerts, schedules, fares, and information on all public transit services available in the Staunton, Waynesboro, and parts of Augusta County (SAW) region of Virginia. Designed and created by Vada Kelly and her team of professionals at Estland Design in Harrisonburg, VA, the website is user friendly and includes language translation functions. An interactive trip planning option is scheduled to go live in the next few weeks.

BRITE Bus provides fixed-route and ADA compliant Paratransit service in the SAW area. Services are administered by the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC), with operational recommendations provided by the BRITE Transit Advisory Committee. The new website is the latest major improvement to the BRITE Bus Transit System since the CSPDC assumed the administration in 2015. Since that time, BRITE Bus has accepted ownership of the BRITE transit facility in Fishersville; placed a fleet of nine new silver buses and one trolley into service; awarded a contract for transit service provision to Virginia Regional Transit; implemented route improvements; upgraded transit system bus stops, shelters, and signage; and initiated social media accounts to keep BRITE users up-to-date on important transit news.

For more information contact Nancy Gourley, nancy@cspdc.org (540)885-5174.