New website collects community improvement ideas for Richmond

RichmondBrainstorm.com may be an online destination, but it was created to help make the real world a better place. The new website collects ideas from Richmond, Indiana residents about how to make the community a better place to live, work and play.

Visitors to the site can submit their ideas into a number of categories – from Arts and Culture to Government, Historic Preservation to Technology – and explain why they think implementing the idea would benefit the community. Then other site users can review the ideas and vote on them, comment on them, and even share related success stories.

“It’s a collaborative way to hold up all of the great ideas floating around this community for making it a better place,” said Chris Hardie, the site’s creator. “It’s a way to share in creating each others` visions for a better future, and to know we have the resources right here for doing that.”

The RichmondBrainstorm.com website is free to use and anyone can submit an idea. Popular ideas are featured more prominently on the site as they get more votes. Information sharing, and not implementation planning, is the theme, although users are encouraged to think about the next steps for making an idea become reality.

“I was tired of being in meetings where a wonderful thought was thrown out, heads vigorously nodded all around, and then life went on,” said Hardie, a local small business owner. “I was worried about losing track of all of those possibilities, even if it would be years before the right people or organization came along to implement them, so I created the site to help hold on to that creative energy.”

The site launched in early March to a small group of testers, and has already built up a healthy collection of ideas and discussion. Now, it’s ready for the wider Richmond community to join in.

“I know that decision makers and community leaders are always looking for new ways to move our community forward, and I hope this tool provides some helpful direction,” noted Hardie.

To submit ideas or vote on existing submissions, visit http://www.RichmondBrainstorm.com/. For more information, contact site creator Chris Hardie at info@richmondbrainstorm.com.