News
Central Shenandoah Pandemic Plan Unveiled
In July 2020, the Central Shenandoah Region was awarded funding from the Economic Development Administration to complete a Pandemic Recovery and Resiliency Plan. The purpose of the plan is to help guide the localities in the region in their economic recovery from the current COVID-19 pandemic and provide them with strategies to become more resilient to future shocks. The planning process included analyzing critical data about the pandemic’s impacts, capturing local government, business, and non-profit organizations best practices to “weather the storm”, and creating strategies and practical actions that can be implemented to increase the resilience in our region. The plan can be found on the CSPDC website HERE.
Round 5 SMART SCALE Projects Submitted
Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport Breaks Ground on New Hangars
The Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport recently broke ground on a long-envisioned hangar project in its Aviation Technology Park. Two 14,000 square foot corporate aircraft hangars will be constructed with office and aviation flex space. The groundbreaking event on July 27 celebrated the start of the project and recognized the project’s partners including two federal agencies involved in its funding, USDA Rural Development and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA). The Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport Commission was awarded a $2 million grant from EDA for the project. The project is expected to create up to 75 high-paying jobs in the aviation technology and aviation maintenance sectors. The CSPDC was instrumental in helping the Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport apply for EDA funding and is providing grant administration services for the hangar project.
HRMPO Launches Long Range Plan Survey on Proposed Projects
The Harrisonburg Rockingham Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (HRMPO) 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) will create an effective framework to address current and future community needs.
HRMPO, which is staffed by CSPDC, is in the process of developing the 2045 Plan, and is offering virtual and in-person opportunities to get involved. Phase 2 of the Plan is focused on gathering feedback on a list of proposed transportation projects, known as the draft Universe of Projects.
Projects on the list were checked against public input as well as regional and statewide data sources to determine whether they met defined transportation needs, and align with the community’s vision, as identified through the Phase 1 Visioning Survey.
Community members are invited to share feedback on the draft Universe of Projects through September 16, 2022. You can:
- Explore the interactive map and leave feedback on specific projects via Metroquest
- Register for and participate in our webinar on August 16 at 7 p.m.
- Drop by one of our open house community meetings
- August 18 from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. at Lucy F. Simms Community Center
- August 31 from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. at Turner Ashby High School
Feedback on the draft Universe of Projects will be used to identify which projects will be included in the final Plan, guiding transportation investments over the next 25 years to support the needs of the region and its future growth.
Visit hrvampo.org/lrtp for more information and to sign up to receive email updates on the LRTP.
CSPDC Staff Helps “Stuff The Bus”
On Fridays, for a small charitable donation, CSPDC employees are allowed to wear jeans to work. Throughout the year, “jeans money” is used to help those in need in our region and beyond. Every August, staff use some of this money to buy school supplies to help the United Way “Stuff The Bus”. This year the CSPDC dropped their school supply donation off at the Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport, a new collection point this year. CSPSDC staff enjoy seeing their “Casual Fridays” help children start the school year off with everything they need.