City Club of Central Oregon is switching things up for November. Instead of the traditional monthly forum (third Thursday of each month), City Club will be offering a series of Sparks (brief videos that ignite conversation) on the topic of Bend’s historic population. These Sparks will be posted to social media twice a week for four weeks starting November 9, 2020.
Bend’s goal to reach100K residents began over 100 years ago. Bend’s historic Emblem Club (which would later evolve into the Bend Chamber of Commerce) had a goal to reach the much-anticipated 100K population. In fact, members of the Emblem Club swore to wear a pin — an emblem — to show their support of growth. They wore it as a symbol and as a reminder to grow intentionally with building a thriving local economy, and the pursuit of happiness as a collective value and priority.
The Emblem Club’s reached its goal. The US Census estimates that Bend’s population surpassed 100,000 for the first time in 2019.
As present-day Bend looks to the future, these City Club video Sparks explore what community leaders believe have been challenges over the past decade and what we may expect to see as Bend continues to exceed the population dreams of its founders. We’ll hear from city leaders and experts in various disciplines on their thoughts about Bend reaching 100,000. A figure the founding settlers of Bend had long hoped for as the wild west was booming all around them.
Watch for the Bend@100K Sparks on City Club’s social media channels and on their website, cityclubco.org.
FEATURED COMMUNITY SECTORS
- Healthcare: Megan Haase, CEO, Mosaic Medical
- The history of the Emblem Club: Kelly Cannon Miller, executive director, Deschutes Historical Society
- Growth & Transportation: Eric King, Bend city manager
- Impact on Parks: Don Horton, executive director, Bend Parks & Recreation
- Arts & Culture: Jason Graham, aka MOsley WOtta, City of Bend creative laureate
- Diversity: Greg Delgado, chair, Central Oregon Jobs with Justice
- Education System: Lora Nordquist, acting superintendent, Bend-La Pine Public Schools
- Neighborhood Communities: Tammy Baney, executive director, Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council
- Housing: Steve Klingman, CEO, Hayden Homes
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
