Lake Oswego—it has come a long way from an industrial town with little more than an iron smelter and stump -studded Sucker Lake to brag about. City officials and citizen advocates would like to take it even further with a vision into the year 2035 and are asking residents to get involved in that process.

Under the umbrella of We Love Lake Oswego: Planning for People, Places and Prosperity, the city has conducted surveys, hosted public forums and enlisted public participation through citizen action committees and advisory groups in an effort to update the Comprehensive Plan, the city’s road map for policy and planning. While first established in 1978 and updated in the early 1990s, the state has mandated that cities revisit their plans once again and with the changes Lake Oswego has seen from an increased population to declining school enrollment, the timing is right.

This Thursday, November 3, citizens are invited to attend a Community Culture Summit from 6-8 pm in the Lake Oswego High School Library (preceded by a mixer from 5:30-6 pm). Using a small group discussion format, participants will be asked to give their input on: education, recreation, the arts, the library, history, and civic engagement.

Some of the questions citizens will be asked to comment on include:

• What should Lake Oswego look like?
• What’s the best way to sustain a thriving business community?
• How should we get around town?

If you can’t attend, you can join the online virtual open house  from November 1-11. The opportunity is there to make sure your voice is heard.

One thing you can say and love about Lake Oswegans—they are opinionated with a vested interest in the community in which they live. Just open up the Lake Oswego Review and check out the editorial page. Letters to the editor pose debates in real time as citizens extol the pros and cons of redevelopment, relocating the library, or closing schools.  The city of Lake Oswego is counting on harnessing that engagement in this opportunity to shape Lake Oswego’s future. As their informational video explains, “It’s your turn to imagine the future.”

Consider subscribing to “52 Reasons to Love Lake Oswego.” Just click on the “Sign me up” button in the upper right hand corner. And let me know…what are some of your reasons for loving Lake Oswego?