How would you describe the quality of life in Jacksonville? That was the question posed to those attending the Quality of Life Committee’s first meeting last week.

The QOL committee stems off the Jacksonville Community Enhancement Council, which was formed by the City Council as a part of the Alabama Community of Excellence project. ACE is a statewide project endorsed by Gov. Bob Riley that encourages and helps communities make enhancements.

The mission statement of the QOL committee is, “To provide and promote opportunities for continued health, wellness, and leisure while preserving our cultural, historical, and natural resources.”

“Our goal is to develop a five year and 25-year strategic plan related to our mission,” said Susan Di Biase, chairwoman of the committee.

During the first meeting, which was open for the public to provide input, the group listed what Jacksonville has that residents can take advantage of.

“We identified many of the assets of Jacksonville currently,” said Di Biase, “including our sports programs, the library and its reading programs, cultural offerings at JSU (music, art, drama), our parks, and the Ladiga Trail.”

The committee also recognized the need for cooperation between groups.

“We noted that partnerships between the city and civic organizations have been very successful,” said Di Biase. “For example, the summer movie series put on by PARD and the Ministerial Association.”

Besides listing what worked, the group considered what Jacksonville needs.

“We talked about a need for more private recreational activities such as bowling or pool tables or movies, and how our 2010 Census numbers may help encourage private investment. We want to make Jacksonville more attractive for college students and seniors, and make sure there are adequate leisure resources for all neighborhoods.”

QOL’s next meeting is planned for Thursday, March 4th at 11:30 a.m. in the Fireside Room of the Community Center.  PARD director Janis Burns will be speaking on “Parks and Recreation: 2010 to 2035.” According to Di Biase, community members are invited to attend, and committee membership is open to the public. 

“We very much hope for diverse citizen input as we discuss how Jacksonville can plan for the future,” said Di Biase. “Future meeting topics will include becoming more pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly, and promoting our cultural and historical resources. The ACE program is preparing a citizen survey to get ideas and we hope to host several evening open forums at local churches.”

Jacksonville Mayor Johnny Smith said that the city will benefit by going though the program. The city will receive a $5,000 grant when it graduates the ACE program. That money will go into the JCEC fund. In addition, being ACE-certified should help the city when applying for other grants.