This Town Actually Gets Things Done. What Makes It Different?

*People congregate in downtown Jasper, IN, the winner of the 2022* *Strongest Town Contest*.

All too often, eager locals find their great ideas held up by months of bureaucracy until, in many cases, the idea fades and dies. One city nestled in the rolling hills and wooded forests of Southern Indiana, however, has a different story. Through conscious and deliberate collaboration, with a daily focus on a city-wide comprehensive plan, the city of Jasper is a place where “things get done.” Its most recent venture: creating a people-centered downtown.

Timed with the needed replacement of century-old water pipes, the city took advantage of the construction to fully renovate their downtown square. “When you're going to dig everything up, when you put it back, you want to put it back nicer than what it was before,” explained Jasper’s Chamber of Commerce Director Nancy Eckerle.

Once the necessary underground work was complete, locals returned to the square to find it a welcoming gathering place. The new, fresh design now features narrowed driving lanes; wider sidewalks; “outdoor rooms” with benches, street trees, and potted plants; a social fire pit; music; painted alleys to compliment the center area; and many detailed elements to make the square an enjoyable third place.

The public area is loved by residents who are independently out and about, and has also made a more seamless avenue for hosting community events. The Heart of Jasper, a non-profit organization that aims to make Jasper the best small town experience, has thoroughly appreciated being able to take advantage of the permanent third places. “We've been able to utilize those gathering spaces and host some new events that we haven't had before,” said Kate Schwenk, director of The Heart of Jasper.

At the ribbon-cutting party in late 2023, Mayor Dean Vonderheide emphasized the importance of the community working together to complete this project. “We’re much better off working together than apart,” he said, as recorded by The Herald. “I’m really proud of this moment.”

Now, with the central square redevelopment complete, the city can move onto the next phase of the project: extending similar upgrades to nearby streets. The city is also strengthening the connection between downtown and its riverfront. By connecting already existing walking and biking paths, they’ll bring together neighborhoods and the downtown.

The camaraderie in creating this downtown revitalization comes directly from the city’s 10-year comprehensive plan, called Impact Jasper. The plan is a central force to the town's unique ability to collaborate between city departments and outside entities, and the city’s focus on this shared document has been integral in making the town strong.

“I can remember a time where the city's comprehensive plan was just a plan. And just sat on a shelf and didn't get looked at,” recalled Eckerle. But in 2019, that began to change when a new mayor took charge of the municipality. “And now, that plan gets looked at every day.”

This plan has proved helpful for local establishments and organizations, as well. At times when The Heart of Jasper is deciding their next project, they’ll look to the city’s plan to see what they can help “knock out.”

“It's helpful for a city to have a plan and for everyone to work toward those same goals,” Schwenk shared.

The local dedication to the city-wide plan appears to be paying off, as they’ve not only accomplished infrastructure goals but have experienced bouts of success in attracting businesses. In 2023, the Chamber of Commerce partook in 40 ribbon cuttings to welcome new and relocated establishments to the community. “About 22 of those businesses have popped up downtown,” said Schwenk.

Jasper has discovered that when a master plan acts as an active guide for the city and local groups, ideas will come to fruition. “What you’ll find is that, within five years, so much will get accomplished because people are actually using the plan,” said Eckerle. “You'll have to keep redoing [the plan] more often. And things won’t sit there waiting for 10 years in order to get accomplished.”

Jasper is a place where everyone works together. It is a city being built by many hands. This is easily seen through groups such as the Redevelop Old Jasper Action Coalition, which has taken the lead on preserving many historic buildings (now merging with The Heart of Jasper), it can be seen through the city’s utmost care to be transparent and include citizens in decision making, and it’s seen through the Mayor's Youth Council, a group of teenagers who work closely with the city to develop and act on local projects.

“The strength that we have here is that we all work well together,” Eckerle explained. “We take ideas, and then move forward with them and we get things done.”

In 2022, Jasper won the annual Strongest Town contest for their dedication to community fiscal strength and unique collaboration between government departments and local entities.

Is your town making progress that deserves recognition? Apply for the 2024 Strongest Town contest today, and use Strong Towns as a megaphone to celebrate your place.

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Seairra Jones

Seairra Jones serves as the Lead Story Producer for Strong Towns. In the past, she's worked as a freelance journalist and videographer for a number of different organizations. She currently resides between small-town Illinois and the rural Midwest with her husband, where they help manage a family homestead. When Seairra isn’t focusing on how to make our towns stronger, you can find her outside working on the farm, writing fictional tales in a coffee shop, or reading in a hammock.