out great. A huge focus is getting people out and active and just enjoying being outside.” Along with these, the Rails to Trails project, funded by a $1.4 million ODOT TAP grant and slated for construction in early 2026, will connect key city landmarks, including Railroad Street Park, Crossroads Park, and even a local restaurant. The city’s downtown revitalization is driven by publicprivate partnerships like the Vibrant Communities Grant, a $1.5 million investment that helped to transform three historic buildings into mixed-use spaces. “These grants are available from Jobs Ohio, which is our state Economic Development partner,” reports Economic Development Coordinator Lauren Walker. “That project holds multiple businesses, a co-working space, podcast studio, conference room and shared workspace.You see a lot more investment in the downtown since this project has happened.” ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WORKFORCE INITIATIVES Hillsboro boasts a diverse industrial portfolio which includes aerospace, manufacturing, food, retail, engineering and healthcare sectors. “Those industries not only attract people to the area, but also keep people here with the jobs that are available,” notes Walker.To ensure continued growth, the city’s economic development team meets with these industries several times a year to assess their progress and explore opportunities for expansion. Additionally, Hillsboro is hoping to bring some light industrial and commercial to land in the city that is zoned for this type of development. Maintaining a skilled workforce is top of mind, and a collaboration between Highland County, Southern State Community College and five local school districts provides students with internships, certifications, and pathways to careers in their hometown.“There’s also a local Workforce Development Center that gives students/adults access to programs or certificates”, Walker elaborates. “There are programs in place to make sure that when those students walk across that stage, they know whether they’re going to stay to work here, and what industry they would like to go in, or if they’re going away to college, what options they have when they come back.” 166 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 01
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