Did you know that The Valley sees a very specific out-migration of 18- to 34-year-olds and then sees a significant influx of those people returning when they are 34 to 45 years old?
Did you know that while the sheer number of retail businesses in The Valley has dropped substantially since the 1980s with fewer restaurants and shops, there has been a pronounced surge in the last 10 years in specialty foods businesses?
These are just some of the details that will be presented next Wednesday at Mad River Valley's first economic summit and community picnic. The event takes place at Lareau Farm pavilion with the picnic at 5:30 p.m. and the summit starting at 6:30 p.m.
The summit will present the findings of two studies, the Mad River Valley Economic Study, which looked at quantifying The Valley's economic profile and health, and the Vermont Downtown Action (V-DAT) team reports for Waitsfield and Warren villages. V-DAT consultants worked with Warren and Waitsfield on developing long-range economic development plans as well as a retail market analysis for both towns.
Did you know that roughly half of The Valley's housing stock was built prior to 1986? In the state of Vermont, only Dover and Wilmington share that particular statistic with The Valley.
Did you know that despite the prevailing notion that businesses get started in The Valley and then leave, the stats don't bear that out? Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Mad River Canoe and Northern Power started and left. The list of those that started and stayed is much longer.
Did you know that the number of people who telecommute and work from home is so large that they are a significant and important part of the local economy?
Did you know that the idea of marketing The Valley as a mountain biking mecca is hampered by the fact that landowners will often let riders use their land but don't want that fact made official on trail guides and maps?
Want to know more? Don't miss the summit next week.
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