Fort Wayne, IN 2021 Finalist

More about Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne is a community that provides everyone with the opportunity to achieve their full potential and find their place of belonging. It’s home to hundreds of neighborhoods, each with its own distinctive character and amenities. These neighborhoods, and the rich diversity they bring to the community, are what make Fort Wayne a vibrant, interesting and exciting place. From our revitalized downtown, to our 87 beautiful parks, to over 120 miles of trails, you’ll find Fort Wayne to be a growing and progressive city that stays true to its roots as a friendly and welcoming place to live, work, play and visit. Learn more about Fort Wayne’s attractions at visitfortwayne.com. We invite you to visit us soon.

ALWAYS MOVING

Riverfront Fort Wayne exists to delight, energize, and unite our entire community through moving experiences and extraordinary places. It is anchored by the innovative Promenade Park, which opened on August 9, 2019, marking the completion of Phase I of the City’s riverfront development. Design and permitting work is underway for public spaces in Phases II and III, as well as ongoing private development attraction and operations. Throughout the planning, design, building, operations, and activation stages of this large project, the values of equity, accessibility, and effectiveness have served as the first and final test for all decisions.

UNITED FRONT

Amidst a great deal of positive momentum, Fort Wayne acknowledges the need to be intentional in recognizing and empowering people who have been marginalized for far too long. Through Fort Wayne UNITED, a group of passionate and committed systems leaders have joined together since 2016 to oversee programs and projects to ensure that equity and diversity are embraced across the community and that all people in Fort Wayne, especially Black males, are respected, appreciated, and valued.

Fort Wayne UNITED’s most recent initiative, United Front, was rolled out in September 2020, during a climate of racial tension and civil unrest, to provide a safe environment for participants to learn a shared humanity, a common language, and a philosophy that will change the trajectory of the community for generations to come through a comprehensive cultural competency curriculum that fosters racial equity, healing, and unity.

Learn more about all of the Fort Wayne UNITED programs.

FORWARD FACING

As the city of Fort Wayne has become more diverse in a variety of ways, Fort Wayne Community Schools remains committed to educating all students to high standards. Focused on strengthening relationships and removing barriers that may prevent a student from thriving, the Family and Community Engagement Center (FACE) provides a “one stop shop” for resources from across the community.

Today’s students need to know that we care about their success, today and tomorrow. Whether it is housing, clothing, food, health care, academic support, or future planning, FACE is there for them and will walk alongside them in supporting and stretching their learning so that they can fully focus on, and participate in, their life-changing education.

ACTIVELY CONNECTING

Open Streets turn streets into meeting places, places to socialize and places to play. July 11, 2021 will be Fort Wayne’s fourth Open Streets. Each year, the event for all ages has over 100 hands-on games and activities, live music, and dining at local restaurants that extend their businesses into the streets. While Open Streets encourages active transportation such as walking and cycling, it also encourages connection with the central business district and multiple neighborhoods, providing a unique way to socialize with old and new friends.

A special thank you to PBS Fort Wayne for serving as our All-America City sponsor!

And thank you, Fort Wayne Police Department and Jason Mitchell from Verizon, for providing drone footage for the “Play in the Fort” video.

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