2010 GPA Fall Conference in Review
Thank you Valdosta!
GPA’s first venture to this south Georgia jewel turned out to be quite a success. More than 250 participants joined us for the 2010 Fall Conference, all welcomed by beautiful weather, the most gracious of hosts and possibly more press exposure and coverage than any other previous GPA function!
The event was kicked off by a welcome from the Mayor of Valdosta and the plenary presentation from longtime GPA favorite David Kirk. His discussion of telecommunications provided the perfect intro to the full slate of sessions designed around the theme of building a sustainable Georgia. More than 30 sessions were scheduled for this year’s conference, all selected in response to member surveys and/or their application of sustainable development. An emphasis was also placed on a session’s practicality, with each presenter encouraged to highlight how their lesson’s can be applied elsewhere in day-to-day planning practice. The results meant a variety of topics from meeting management to neighborhood revitalization, from using liviability measures in transportation planning to community gardens.
Our newest element of the Fall Conference, the design charrette, was also met with great enthusiasm and success. Two teams participated in this interactive event creating alternative design schemes for a piece of City-owned property. After learning about the subject property on the first day, members developed their concepts through day two and ultimately presented their ideas to Valdosta officials on day three. Both teams were lauded for their efforts and gave the City a number of issues and ideas to consider, all while earning CM credits and having fun along the way.
All in all it seemed everyone had a great time. Kudos to both our local host committee and to the staff of the Rainwater Conference Center for doing everything they could to make it special for all of us. And thanks to all of you who joined us for another successful conference!
Presentations
Below is a list of conference presentations listed by their breakout session. We will continue to add presentations in the future.
Plenary
Environmental & Sustainability
- Implementing Successful Community Gardens In Your County or City
- Suitable Site Selection for Economic Development