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Home About Us B2B Club Breaking News Contact Donate Events / Programs Feedback Ideas Incubator Industry Clusters Links / Resources Progess Funds Progress Teams Public Art / Murals Publications		Breaking News June 25, 2007 - Community members invited to help develop the downtown plan By: Leata Anderson, for the Daily Tribune On a rainy afternoon in late May, there was something very exciting that happened in the back room of our downtown coffee shop, From The Ground Up. Volunteers from our community came together for a conversation about the future of our downtown. The volunteers represented several different established groups, including the Tourism Cluster, City Centre Committee, Community Theater Committee, Art and Heritage Cluster, Downtown Revitalization Cluster, as well as downtown business owners and interested citizens. Mayor Mary Jo Carson presented information on our city's initiative for a Downtown Development Plan. The conversation was robust, and many questions were asked and answered. The process to determine the Downtown Development Plan now has been launched, and we eagerly await the presentation of the final plan in August. We, the Downtown Revitalization Cluster, are excited about the expanding partnerships throughout our community, and we are discovering that our downtown is benefiting from these partnerships as we all work together to help make our downtown the vibrant heart of our community. You are invited to give your ideas. What would you like in downtown Wisconsin Rapids? Become part of the Downtown Development Plan. • July 30 to Aug. 1: Downtown Charrette at Centralia Center; the project team will have a work studio set up for three days in order to engage the community to participate in Plan Development. Feel free to stop by to provide comments on the plan as it is being developed. • July 30: Public Open House at Centralia Center, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.; this open house will be the first of two public meetings during the Downtown Charrette. Drafted plan elements will be introduced to the public for comments and questions. This will be an open-house format -- no formal presentation. Stop by at any time during the two hours. • Aug. 1: Downtown Summit No. 2 at McMillan Library, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.; the second public meeting during the Downtown Charrette. Updated plan elements will be discussed based upon the comments and input collected during the Charrette from July 30 to Aug. 1. • Aug. 27: Downtown Summit No. 3 at McMillan Library, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.; the finalized plan elements will be unveiled and discussed prior to consideration of adoption by the city of Wisconsin Rapids. Leata Anderson is co-chairwoman of the Downtown Revitalization Cluster.
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