IVINS, Utah — A southwest Utah city with a population of 12,100 is one of 16 finalists in the 11th Annual Strongest Town Contest, taking on cities like Chicago and Madison, Wisconsin.
It’s a national competition spotlighting cities that build community through safety, public spaces and smart planning.
Created by city planning think tank Strong Towns, the contest works like the NCAA Tournament: online votes narrow 16 finalists down to a Final Four, then a champion. Ivins is one of only two Western cities in the Sweet 16, alongside Spokane, Washington.
The competition puts Ivins up against cities far larger than itself — including Chicago, with a population of 2.7 million.
Tiffany Wynn co-founded the nonprofit Inspired Ivins last year, and it was her submission that caught Strong Towns' attention.
"Instead of trying to stop that growth we realize it's going to happen so we're coming together as a community and figuring out what we're going to do about that growth so that the future is better for all of us," Wynn said.
City Manager Chuck Gillette said what sets Ivins apart goes beyond its views of Snow Canyon and Red Cliffs.
"We have been willing to kind of stick our necks out a little bit on some of these things and go after things that we think are important and a lot of it is because we have incredible people that live here," Gillette said.
That reputation has outside backing. Nextdoor recently ranked Ivins among Utah's four friendliest cities.
The city has also built a track record of unconventional civic choices. Long-standing water-saving ordinances earned Ivins a Governor's honor for the lowest per capita water use in the state. Street lights are required to dim and point downward to preserve the night sky. The city has no traffic signals — only roundabouts. And residents voted together on a plan for future growth.
Ivins also boasts Tuacahn Amphitheater, Kayenta Arts, the PGA Tour's Bank of Utah Championship at Black Desert Resort and a medical school.
The community spirit extends to its youngest residents. On the day I visited, grade schoolers at the city's eco-friendly City Hall drew up real plans for a new playground at Mojave Estates Park — replacing one destroyed by fire. Their ideas actually count.
12-year-old Luke Christiansen had elaborate plans, though he's not applying for city planner just yet.
"I don't think I could take anybody's job as a planner of anything," Christiansen said. "I'm still working on time management. But I could probably not be a good planner, but I could be a good planner with this."
His 12-year-old best friend, Jade Rider, has been to Chicago and isn't concerned about the matchup.
"I definitely want to stay in Ivins. It's like the best place in the world," Rider said.
Residents and supporters can cast a vote for Ivins at their website here. Each email address receives one entry.
