Ivins is breathtakingly beautiful. The power of the Red Mountain landscape that surrounds us here is why many people will tell you they moved here because they felt a connection. I have heard stories of people buying houses sight unseen or visiting here once and deciding to make it a permanent home. It is sacred land, inhabited by the Shivwits Band of Paiutes and other Indigenous groups for over a thousand years. Ivins City was settled in the early 1920s by Swiss immigrant farmers, and the pioneer spirit in our town is strong. Many of the descendants of those families still live here and continue to shape community life.

In recent years, that same beauty has drawn many new residents and helped Ivins grow into a sought-after resort destination. With that growth have come new questions and new pressures on housing, roads, water and the pace of daily life. At times, these changes have created a divide between those whose families have been here for generations and those who are just beginning to put down roots. It is understandable that some residents fear that Ivins will no longer be Ivins.

When we approached Ivins City about hosting and supporting a Strong Towns Washington County Local Conversation, the response from our mayor and city officials was an immediate and enthusiastic “yes.” That support mattered. It signaled a shared understanding that growth is not something to fear or fight, but something to approach thoughtfully, with care for both people and place. The Strong Towns framework has given our community a common language — one that helps longtime residents and newcomers sit at the same table and talk about what it means to steward Ivins well.

Rather than chasing large, expensive solutions, Ivins is learning the value of small, practical steps. We have had community walk audits and are now working on solutions for slowing down traffic, making Ivins more walkable, using existing community spaces and focusing on everyday experiences. These efforts may seem modest, but they are helping rebuild trust and remind us that the town belongs to all of us: past, present and future.

Ivins is special because it is a place where people still believe in showing up. In a time of rapid change, our community is choosing conversation over conflict and shared responsibility over retreat. Guided by the Strong Towns approach, we are learning how to grow in a way that honors our history, respects our landscape and strengthens the relationships that make a town truly strong. We certainly still have many challenges, but I am hopeful that we are moving in the right direction, and Strong Towns has helped us do this.

In a strong town, good things happen when the technical knowledge of city staff meets the lived experience of the people who walk the streets, tend the land, and know their neighborhoods by heart. In Ivins, this collaboration is becoming a regular practice rather than an exception.

One example is the Ivins Community Garden. The land was generously donated by a local pioneer-descendant family, linking the project to both Ivins’ history and its future. What followed was a shared effort: residents stepped forward to manage and care for the space, city staff helped prepare the site, youth leaders designed the layout, and local artists added creative touches. No single group directed the outcome. The garden grew because people showed up and contributed what they knew.

That same philosophy guides the work of the Ivins City Arts Commission. Instead of prescribing how public art should look, the Commission has created a framework for arts districts across the city and invited each neighborhood to shape its own vision. Residents are deciding how to express their identity through art and placemaking, while the Commission supports the process and helps connect ideas with resources.

Together, these efforts reflect how Ivins is choosing to grow by trusting residents, sharing responsibility and focusing on small, people-centered actions. This steady collaboration is strengthening connection, honoring local identity, and helping Ivins remain a place shaped by the people who call it home.

Ivins has learned that many of the challenges we face don’t require a large budget or a perfect plan: they require attention, shared effort and the willingness to begin. We are still learning how to strengthen the connection between residents and local government, building trust little by little through action rather than promises.

One example came from concerns about traffic safety along our main thoroughfare. Community members noticed that vehicle speeds made crossing the street uncomfortable and, at times, unsafe — particularly for seniors, children and those using mobility devices. Rather than waiting for a large infrastructure project, our Strong Towns team organized a walk audit that brought residents together with elected officials and members of our public safety team. Walking the corridor side by side allowed everyone to see the problem in real time and talk through practical, low-cost ways to slow traffic and improve safety. While solutions such as crosswalk art and other traffic-calming measures are still in development, the process itself built momentum and shared ownership, with residents eager to continue working together on next steps.

A separate challenge emerged around gaps in Ivins’ trail network. Community members identified places where trails abruptly ended, forcing people into the roadway or cutting off safe access between neighborhoods. In response, residents partnered with the city and a local bike alliance to map these gaps and begin identifying small, achievable connections that could be addressed incrementally. This collaboration did not begin with a major funding request, but with shared knowledge, volunteer time and a commitment to improving everyday access.

In both cases, Ivins chose to act with the tools at hand: conversation, observation and cooperation. These efforts are still unfolding, but they have already changed how problems are approached. By starting small and working together, our community is learning that trust is built not by waiting for perfect solutions, but by taking practical steps forward, one issue at a time.

What inspires me most about Ivins is an openness to collaboration: an understanding that working together can be slower and sometimes harder, but almost always leads to better outcomes.

I’m inspired by the power of proximity here. Ivins is shaped in a way that naturally brings people together — neighbors lingering at the Kayenta cafés, friends passing one another on the trail, quick conversations that turn into lasting relationships. These small, everyday interactions are easy to overlook, but they are the foundation of a resilient town.

There is also a strong culture of participation. People in Ivins don’t simply wait for solutions to arrive. They show up by volunteering in the community garden, attending Talkabouts at City Hall, and engaging in thoughtful conversations about growth, water, and long-term fiscal responsibility. There is a shared understanding that the choices we make today matter for the next generation.

What I often think of as the “Ivins Inspired” spirit shows up in quiet but meaningful ways. New residents find their footing through neighborhood connections. Longtime locals share knowledge and lend a hand. Again and again, I’m reminded that we are building more than projects or plans: we are building a support system rooted in trust and shared responsibility.

I keep working because Ivins is at a pivotal moment. We have the opportunity to grow thoughtfully, adding value and vibrancy without losing the neighborly soul that drew so many of us here. Each time I see people find their way to one another, I’m reminded that when we strengthen our social fabric, the physical and fiscal strength of the town follows naturally.