BETHEL, NY — The annual Sullivan Renaissance Conference, held this year on March 11, was a feel-good event for Sullivan County to celebrate the accomplishments of its own and announce upcoming initiatives. Sullivan Renaissance Chairwoman Sandra Gerry introduced the soft rollout of Sullivan 180 (tinyurl.com/jv85g5r), a nonprofit grassroots umbrella organization designed to address the county’s abysmal health ranking in New York State and promote wellness through incremental policy changes and initiatives. “Progress won’t be quick or easy,” said Gerry. “It’s a complex situation. But we’ve at least taken the first step.”

Keynote speaker Cynthia Nikitin of Project for Public Spaces (www.pps.org) told a video tale of two cities in New York State: Elmira and Corning. Located on the Susquehanna River a scant 20 miles driving distance apart, both suffered calamitous damage during Hurricane Agnes in 1973. And both were subsequently rebuilt by the Army Corps of Engineers (ACE), to the separate specifications of each.

When each city was asked by ACE to describe its vision of itself rebuilt to perfection, Elmira requested a retaining wall (for protection from the river running through it) and lots of additional parking space; Corning asked instead for redesign of its downtown area and restoration of the 19th-century buildings lining its Main Street. Both got what they asked for, and the results speak for themselves. Today, Elmira’s downtown looks like a warehouse district, while Corning’s charming vintage buildings host a revitalized main street with prosperous shops and boutiques.

Per Nikitin, placemaking accounts for the differences between these two cities. Placemaking is a community-driven process that capitalizes on local assets, talent and vision to create public spaces that improve quality of life and provide shared value for all residents.

“Parking lots have never been destinations,” said Nikitin, tailgating parties aside, of course. Citing research from Donald Shoup’s book, “The High Cost of Free Parking,” Nikitin argues that free parking has been largely responsible for the continuing decline of main streets, public health and quality of life.

Nikitin has a bag full of other truisms. “It’s hard to love a bus station or police department. It’s easy to love a library; it’s one of the last truly democratic institutions left in America. Everyone is welcome in its spaces and to its resources, regardless of gender, race, creed, age, or income level. Public places should offer no less.”

Nikitin carried that idea into the concept of multigenerational communities that nurture people of all ages and stages of life. Using the analogy of a park bench with four generations seated on it, she concludes that the most inclusive community is also the most successful.

In other Sullivan Renaissance business, Dali Levy of the Steering Committee presented this year’s Renaissance Awards: Spirit Award to community volunteer Isaac Green Diebboll of Callicoon; Transformation Award to Salt & Pepper the Kitchen, a deli/Korean restaurant on Broadway in Monticello; Transformation Award to Rosehaven Alpacas Boutique & Mill in Bethel; Earth Award to Basha Kill Area Association, Wurtsboro; Collaboration Award to Sullivan Agencies Leading Together (SALT) in Monticello; and Spark Award to Iris Fen Gillingham of Livingston Manor.

Sen. John Bonacic, Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther and county legislature chair Luis Alvarez addressed the conference, all predicting the advent of great things and material wealth for the county. But each also noted that Sullivan Renaissance has been instrumental in attracting the coming prosperity with its own wealth of talent, vision and passion. Said Bonacic, “Many will lay claim to the new prosperity, but you’ve been guiding the county forward for 17 years with nothing but dim hope and your own abilities.”