The Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce has released their community assessment report to the public, according to a news release Monday.
Contained in the report is a detailed examination of the Rogers-Lowell area as a place to live, work and do business.
“The assessment leverages quantitative and qualitative research conducted during Phase 1 of the six-month, four-phase strategic planning process to update the vision for a new Community Action Plan. This Community Assessment completes phase two of the project, delivers a comprehensive overview of the trends and challenges facing Rogers-Lowell in 2014 and beyond, and within the context of residents’ vision for the future and the implications of regional development,” the news release states.
Revealed by the report is a community and region that has experienced rapid population growth. The growth was attributed largely by young couples and their children, and those families were attracted to a community that is centrally located within the region, home to relatively high quality schools and offers affordable single-family housing, according to the news release.
The report also revealed that the area has seen enormous growth in its Hispanic population.
“Residents want to ensure that Rogers doesn’t become a segregated community socioeconomically along racial and ethnic lines. Residents of all races and ethnicities indicated that they are proud of the fact that the community is welcoming and want to ensure that the community is united,” the news release states.
The community is also reportedly a place that has witnessed a great amount of economic transition within a relatively resilient and growing regional economy.
Retail and professional services have emerged while manufacturing and distribution have remained a key component of the economy, but continued growth has given rise to worries from residents about traffic, transportation and other issues, according to the news release.
“Residents wonder what the future of the community will hold for them, their children, and their businesses,” said Raymond Burns, President/CEO of the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce.
Burns continued, “They wonder if the next generation will be attracted to the amenities that are currently available. Will there be an abundant supply of young, skilled workers to support diversified economic growth? What will Downtown Rogers look like in the future, and will it be a place that young residents want to visit?”
A link to the study can be found here.
