Tempe Neighborhood Workshop and Neighbor of the Year Awards

Keynote speaker emphasizes importance of preservation

Tempe, Arizona – Tempe will recognize the contributions of its most involved residents and provide an opportunity for community building on Saturday, April 18, from 7:30 a.m. to noon, at the 2009 Neighborhood Workshop and Neighbor of the Year Awards.

A continental breakfast will be offered at this free, half-day event at the Pyle Adult Recreation Center, 655 E. Southern Ave., followed by an awards ceremony saluting the work of dedicated community members. Mayor Hugh Hallman and the City Council will present the Neighbor of the Year Awards, followed by keynote speaker Donovan Rypkema’s presentation of “Saving Our Heritage Buildings: Why Historic Preservation Helps Strengthen a Community,” sponsored by the Tempe Historic Preservation Foundation.

Tempe residents are encouraged to register for two of the four workshops that will be offered after the awards ceremony:

• Dollar$ & $ense- The Logic of Historical Preservation: Presented by Vic Linoff, who has been involved in historic preservation issues for nearly three decades. Linoff shares a practical guide to understanding Historic Districts, Local Designation, National Register and Prop. 207.
• Collecting and Preserving the Past through Oral History:
  Research historian, Dan Killoren and Professor Emeritus of the Hispanic Research Center at Arizona State University, Dr. Santos Vega, showcase the power of oral history to preserve heritage. They will offer tips about developing questions, identifying interviewees, equipment, interviewing techniques, transcription, and legal concerns of preserving your own oral history.
• A Community Leader’s Guide to Preservation:
  Donovan Rypkema will examine the relevant differences between the terms “sustainable,” “green” and “economically viable.” Rypkema is an authority on the positive economics of preserving historic buildings and structures. He is the founder and principal of PlaceEconomics, a Washington, D.C.-based real estate and economic development-consulting firm and the author of “The Economics of Historic Preservation: A Community Leader’s Guide.”
• Carl Hayden Campus for Sustainability: Mayor Hugh Hallman, a longtime supporter of historic preservation, will present the history, project details, plan renderings and integration with Papago Park preservation. Residents’ efforts are needed to help build and preserve the Carl Hayden Campus for Sustainability, which honors our unique environment, our community’s diverse cultures and its rich history.

The deadline to reserve a seat is Wednesday, April 15. 

To register, visit www.tempe.gov/neighborhoods/workshop.htm, call Tempe’s Neighborhood Services Division at 480-350-8234 or e-mail neighborhoods@tempe.gov, with your full name, neighborhood or homeowners association name, if applicable, and two workshop choices.

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