ABLE team kicks off engagement planning and scoping for Rio Reimagined Vision Plan

In Spring 2025, the ABLE team of ABLE, PAM, and Sixth World Solutions was selected to guide the RIO partners in designing a planning process and scope of work for a regional vision plan by  building a participatory process that engages the diverse communities along the river corridor and honors their unique assets, needs, and priorities.

Since the Rio Reimagined initiative first launched in 2018, there has been an intentional focus on partnership building and the creation of a regional revitalization identity for the river corridor. Local communities have invested in planning and projects, however; there has not been a regional community vision or plan established for the Rio Reimagined study area, a 55+ mile Salt and Gila River corridor traversing the urban metro Phoenix area.  These local projects, plans, and prior community engagement efforts will serve as a foundation for a future regional-scale vision plan for Rio Reimagined that will require expansive community-led design and outreach, as well as alignment of municipal, county, and Native nations planning priorities. The specific scope and content of a regional vision plan for Rio Reimagined will be determined through a participatory planning process.

The ABLE team has worked with core partners to develop two committees of RIO partners to scope the vision plan for RIO. A Scoping Committee and Community Engagement Subcommittee will convene over the summer/early fall to develop a scope of work for consideration by the elected leaders of the RIO communities. In spring, we developed criteria for community leader participation through stakeholder engagement and selected three leaders to sit on the Community Engagement Subcommittee. In the coming weeks, the committee will kick off work. 

More information on the current status of the vision plan on the Rio Reimagined Partnership website: https://rioreimagined.org/vision-planning-status/