The completed Agricultural Enterprise Center Feasibility Study was presented to 56 stakeholders and local government representatives on May 18. A recording of the presentation, an Executive Summary, and the final report can be viewed on the project website.

Since the study began in July, 2020 the CSPDC in partnership with a ten-member study team and consultants New Venture Advisors (NVA), set out to determine the feasibility of a shared-use agriculturally-focused facility that if brought to fruition would support business diversification and growth in the Shenandoah Valley through value-added products and the delivery of agricultural goods and products to new markets. The conducted research resulted in a recommended “Shenandoah Specialty Meat & Produce Hub” operating model that includes a commercial kitchen and meat and produce storage, processing and aggregation facilities. The project’s recommended next steps include conducting an operator and anchor tenant search, strengthening third-party partnerships, performing site search and selection, beginning facility design, refining the business plan, and commencing fundraising. The Study has been funded by a USDA Local Food Promotion Program grant and a GO Virginia Enhanced Capacity Building grant.

Central Shenandoah Health District (CSHD) will be offering mobile COVID-19 vaccine clinics in the community in an effort to increase access to COVID-19 vaccines. If your organization is interested in a COVID-19 vaccine clinic, fill out a request form. Mobile clinics can be walk-up with no registration needed and can be flexible in date and time of clinics. Clinics can serve anywhere from 20-200 people. Ideal locations include festivals, events, block parties, farmers markets, churches, community centers, businesses, and homeless shelters.

The CSPDC is hosting a Broadband Workshop on June 15 to discuss broadband project development and state funding resources, including the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) program. The workshop will feature presentations by Kyle Rosner, Deputy Broadband Advisor to the Secretary of Commerce and Trade, and Tamarah Holmes, Director of Virginia’s Office of Broadband.

The virtual Broadband Workshop is the third of an ongoing series of recovery-related Rural Attraction Roundtables, supported by the CSPDC’s EDA CARES Act funding. The most recently completed roundtable focused on telework and featured the results of VEDP’s Virginia Remote Worker Survey.

The Town of Bridgewater in Rockingham County recently completed construction on Phase I of its Riverwalk trail system. The Riverwalk is envisioned to connect all of the Town’s parks along the North River. Phase I built a trail between Seven Bridges and Edgebriar Parks, going under the Main Street (VA 42) bridge, a significant safety improvement for trail users. The CSPDC assisted the Town in making application, and the Town used a CSPDC On-Call Consultant, AMT, for the engineering and design. VDOT awarded the Town a Bike and Pedestrian Highway Safety grant in 2016 to fund the project.