What Will Salem Look Like in a Decade?

SALEM, MA – A decade ago, the City of Salem was a markedly different place. In less than 10 years, Salem will celebrate its 400th anniversary. The city government wants to know what residents want Salem to look like in 2026.

During her state of the city speech last month, Mayor Kim Driscoll announced the launch of Imagine Salem: A "community visioning process" to help shape Salem's future. According to a statement on the initiative, it will be "framed around housing, jobs, and transportation with themes of equity and inclusiveness woven throughout the topics."

"Salem has seen tremendous investment and growth over the past ten years," said Mayor Driscoll. "New residents are joining longtime families in calling Salem home. Brownfields are being transformed, the waterfront is coming alive, and downtown has become a vibrant destination for the region. We’ve made important investments in our infrastructure, and our local economy is robust. Now the question is what kind of city do we want to be in ten years? How do we make sure our city is best positioned to continue our prosperity? From schools to housing and transportation to employment, let’s set some expectations for ourselves and then work to get them done."

There are several things community members can do to get involved:

• Visit the website (www.imaginesalem.org).
• Take a brief online survey.
• Like Imagine Salem on Facebook.
• Share a photo on Instagram.
• Attend the citywide meeting on March 8, (6:30 p.m., Salem High School).
• Come to a small get-together for coffee and conversation.

En Español:

• Visite la página (www.imaginesalem.org).
• Participe en una breve (encuesta en línea) online survey.
• Ponga Me gusta Imagine Salem en Facebook.
• Comparta una foto en Instagram.
• Acuda a una reunión de la ciudad el 8 de marzo. (6:30 pm, Salem High School).
• Asista a una pequeña reunión para conversar y tomar café.

Image via Taylor Rapalyea, Patch Staff