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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 August 13, 2007 - Slow change puts community on path to future By: Jesse Austin, for the Daily Tribune Who are we and what do we want to be? This question is frequently discussed during the monthly meetings of the Manufacturing Cluster, which is part of the Community Progress Initiative. As a relative newbie to the cluster, I attribute much of this recent dialog to study tours of cities with challenges and aspirations similar to those of Wisconsin Rapids. Those cities have managed to at least begin pursuing a vision of community progress. In March, for example, several of us in the Manufacturing Cluster went to Beloit to study how that city contended with the loss of its major employer, along with a decaying downtown area. What we learned is that Beloit's civic leader had made a commitment to overhaul the perception of Beloit as a "nowhere" off Interstate 94, into that of a city focused on the arts. The city now boasts -- in addition to a revitalized downtown area that plays off its proximity to a river -- a museum that celebrates its industrial roots, a collaborative relationship with Beloit College that utilizes that institution's cultural, administrative and student resources and an annual film festival. Heady stuff. And also a while in the making: Beloit started its effort during the late 1980s. So, another lesson learned is change doesn't occur overnight. This fact of life is frustrating for some of us who think that change, risky though it may be, is preferable to stagnation. But within our group we have discovered a like number of individuals who view more gradual change as much-appreciated stability. Not only do native residents who have been born and reared here love the environment in which they have been nurtured, a fair number have moved here precisely because Wisconsin Rapids is the antithesis of busy, hectic and, occasionally, overwhelming city life. The challenge for our cluster is to find the balance between embracing needed change that attracts business, offers security and celebrates diversity, while preserving and strengthening core values, which provide safe harbor in an increasingly uncertain world. What does Wisconsin Rapids want to be known as or known for? "An industrial lightning rod," say some. "A 'green' environment that encompasses not only conservation of natural resources, but our very way of conducting business, e.g., energy-efficient architecture, a recyclable society, etc.," say others. "A thriving arts community, noted for its inclusiveness," say still others. Why not all three? Just a thought! It's all part of the dialog that keeps growing the Manufacturing Cluster, as well as the other cluster teams that feed off the energy from the Community Progress Initiative. All are informed by the thoughtful, thought-provoking and divergent views of all who engage in the conversation. While the means may differ in individual minds, the end is the same: to foster a vibrant community, a positive spirit and a place we are pleased to call home. Jesse Austin is a member of the Manufacturing Cluster for the Community Progress Initiative.
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