More than 150 people attended the 2020 Common Ground Alliance Virtual Forum. (Provided photo — Adirondack Common Ground Alliance)

LAKE PLACID — The 15th annual Adirondack Common Ground Alliance Forum is slated for Wednesday, July 21, and it is open to anyone.

It will be conducted virtually over two two-hour blocks from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. A one-hour closing session is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 8 to report the forum findings.

Registration is open now at commongroundadk.org. The event will feature live video sessions, presentations and interactive small group discussions designed to flesh out incremental strategies to enhance community appeal and encourage future growth. These strategies are then distilled into a series of action items for state and local elected officials, policymakers, communities, and participants.

This year’s theme, “Increasing the Vibrancy of Your Community,” comes as people reemerge from months of isolation because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“The Adirondacks offer unparalleled natural beauty, outstanding recreational opportunities, and a real sense of community. But jobs, housing, and childcare can be hard to find, and a lack of cultural and ethnic diversity leaves many feeling left out,” said Peg Olsen, executive director of The Nature Conservancy’s Adirondack Chapter. “By coming together at the CGA Forum to address these challenges, we can generate the momentum necessary to build vibrant Adirondack communities.”

Zoe Smith, deputy director of the Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute, said the goal of the forum is to “facilitate conversations and connections between participants that continue far beyond this one day, and encourage them to devise and pursue realistic, incremental efforts to enhance their communities.”

A general schedule is available at commongroundadk.org with further details, including information on presenters and moderators, to be added in early July. The cost of registration is $25, or $15 for students. Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information about registration or sponsorship, please contact Doug Haney at 518-524-4674 or via email at doug@greatrange.org.

The Common Ground Alliance was formed in 2007 to identify opportunities for collaboration amongst different — and at times, competing — Adirondack stakeholders. This led to the development of the annual Blueprint for the Blue Line, a document that summarizes and builds upon the takeaways of each year’s forum. Past Blueprints are now available at commongroundadk.org.

If you go …

What: 2021 Common Ground Alliance Forum

When: 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. July 21 and Sept. 8

Where: Online via videoconference, register at commongroundadk.org

How much: $25, or $15 for students