On January 29, 2021, ASU Project Cities hosted the Clarkdale Kickoff. This virtual event featured a panel discussion with Town leadership about Clarkdale’s values and character, followed by breakout meetings between students and their project leads. Students were joined by a team of town stakeholders, including: Mayor Robyn Prud’homme-Bauer, Vice Mayor Debbie Hunseder, and Town Manager Tracie Hlavinka.
Students engaged the Clarkdale team in a wide-ranging conversation, starting with collecting insights and contacts for their projects, but also reaching into the panelists’ career trajectory and community values.
Spring 2021 projects with the Town of Clarkdale
Attainable housing evaluation. The Town of Clarkdale is the Verde Valley’s first “planned community” containing revitalized historic structures. The Town strives for a sustainable community, although it has not yet focused on diverse-use, attainable housing in its development efforts. Students will take a hands-on learning approach to interpret and apply qualitative data to offer Clarkdale useful planning recommendations regarding the creation of zero-energy homes, increase the diversity of housing stock, and it possible for more residents to develop home-based businesses.
Smart towns: Internet infrastructure project in the EPICS program continues from the fall 2020 semester. Students in Joshua Loughman’s FSE 104/404 course will examine Clarkdale’s K-12 students’ internet infrastructure needs. The Town and School District seek assistance from students first and foremost in better understanding met and unmet need for internet. The Town and District also seek support in short-term plans to adapt the Clarkdale Historic Clubhouse for K-12 students participating in remote learning. Students will examine the clubhouse’s capacity for internet service and spatial needs to develop Covid-safe, functional, distance-learning workstations.
Smart towns: Smart parks project in the EPICS program continues from the fall 2020 semester. Students in Joshua Loughman’s FSE 104/404 course envision a smart park. Selna Mongini Park is currently in the planning phases of a significant remodel to the park, which will incorporate a one-of-a-kind (STEM) educational hydrology exhibit, an integrated public Wi-Fi network, and various park amenities. The Town seeks to continue previous semester’s work on Wi-Fi coverage, and explore various smart park concepts that would increase connectivity and improve visitors’ experience
Project Cities is a member of the Educational Partnerships for Innovation in Communities Network (Epic-N) and is administered by ASU’s Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory and the Sustainable Cities Network. Stay up to date with Project Cities and the Sustainable Cities Network by following us on social media or subscribing to our newsletter.