I often hear from local officials in Michigan’s smaller communities that the League’s place-based initiatives such as our Center for 21st Century Communities program is focused on our urban areas. And each and every time my answer is the same….while smaller communities have some unique challenges just like their larger urban brethren, the 8 assets of our 21c3 initiative are scalable. Often times it just takes a few people with a vision to make things happen.

Take the smaller city of Eaton Rapids, located about 20 miles south of Lansing. The city’s major asset is its riverfront and rather than build office buildings and parking garages, a group of local investors has put forth a vision that will might just help people think about Eaton Rapids as more than a sleepy little town with a river.

The Eaton Rapids Development Corporation, a group of 35 local investors, envisions a riverfront area with public spaces such as a boardwalk and recreation activities as well as a combination of multi-use development, including retail and community oriented-businesses.

You can read their story here, but the point is that people with a vision have come together to create a strategic vision around their community’s best asset. There are no doubt stories such as these all over our state, proving once again that even Michigan’s smaller communities have something to offer. Its why as our state’s economy recovers citizens, we all must remember that its our communities that will lead the way.