An initiative local students are driving is bringing a new sign to downtown Logansport's farmers market lot along with a place to share positive messages.
It'll be the culmination of Cass County's implementation of "My Community, My Vision," a program the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, Ball State University and the Indiana Lieutenant Governor's office team up to offer.
Through the program, Logansport High School students and a Pioneer Jr.-Sr. High School student have been meeting regularly with a Ball State University planning student to develop a plan they'll present to Indiana Lieutenant Gov. Suzanne Crouch next week.
Logansport residents and officials got a sneak peek at that presentation Wednesday. Dressed in formal business attire, the LHS students involved in the program addressed a full Council Chambers in the City Building on several ideas they developed to improve the community.
Matthew Dixon, a senior urban planning student at Ball State University, worked with the students along with Arin Shaver, executive director of the Cass County Planning Department and Cass County Zoning Administrator Austin Brass.
Dixon said after Wednesday's presentation that the idea from the students' presentation that will become a reality is revamping the farmers market sign at the corner of East Market and Fourth streets downtown. The new one will be 10 feet tall, he said, and offer a chalkboard element for people to write inspirational quotes on along with reasons they love Logansport.
The project cost falls within the $5,000 the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority awarded Cass County for the program, Dixon explained.
Century Career Center construction students will help create the sign, Dixon said, adding work should start this August.
Matthew Calisto, a senior at Logansport High School who gave Wednesday's presentation, said the chalkboard element's location in the high-traffic area of East Market and Fourth streets would give it a lot of visibility.
Other ideas the students discussed included a kayak share program for kayaking down the Eel River, creating a downtown square, improving the quality of the farmers market by enforcing stricter inspections and extending the city's bike lanes.
Calisto said he and his fellow students determined the community's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats and aspirations to help come up with the ideas.