|
 On hand for the meeting were Andi Hake and Cara Barr of the LCA,
and Nicole Cox of the Chamber. Michelle Bauer was also on hand as a
representative of the “Swigs” portion of the Pigs and Swigs
Festival, and Chris Graue was to present the “Pigs” side of the
festival. Dom Dalpoas was on hand to talk about the Craft and Flea
Market to be held in Scully Park that same weekend, and Justin
Cheger, who is on the Arts in the Park committee that will be held
in Latham Park.
Hake opened the meeting saying that the LCA wants to make certain
all the components of the community were being represented. She said
the LCA Development Council recognized that there needed to be a
vehicle for the downtown businesses to add their voice. The LCA is
suggesting a Downtown Business Committee. However, she said the
Council has not developed a structure for that committee. She said
the Council wants the business owners to tell them what they need
and want. The hope is that the committee will form and hold regular
meetings to talk about the needs of the downtown area. She said the
result could be referred to other councils within the LCA, and then
the two groups could work together.
 She stressed that the goals of the Downtown Business Committee
should belong to the downtown business owners and managers. “We
don’t want to walk in here and dictate what the goals are for that
committee,” she said.
Nicole Cox talked about some of the work the Chamber and LCA are
already doing for the downtown area. One of the first is the large
banners being manufactured to go in the windows of the currently
empty storefronts. She said the banners would be large and say
something to the effect of “Imagine your business here.” Hake added
this would show guests to upcoming events that these empty buildings
were not abandoned, and that the Chamber and Alliance are invested
in the development of the downtown.
Hake said another project was a grassroots initiative of “Get up and
move.” At the moment, research is still underway to develop the
project. She said the general idea is to have signage that says
something to the effect of “It’s a two minute walk from here to the
Logan County Courthouse.” The idea is not necessarily to promote a
walking tour, but to promote exercise and good health while pointing
out the interesting aspects of the city. Hake added that the Healthy
Communities Partnership was sponsoring this initiative, and the LCA
is appreciative of their support and involvement.
Hake also talked about the recent compromises that were reached
regarding the monthly car cruises held in the downtown area. There
had been local merchants who had expressed concern earlier this year
to former Mayor Keith Snyder. Those business owners felt the car
cruises deterred business because street closures made it
inconvenient for those who would visit the businesses.
The city, the Railsplitter Antique Auto Club, and the LCA met to
address this. The final word on the subject was that the cruises
would rotate around three sides of the square this summer, and there
were also discussions of adding incentives for the cruise-in
participants to shop while in town.
Cox said one suggestion might be to create a punch card for cruise
participants making purchases in participating businesses. The
downtown committee would decide a full card incentive. Hake gave one
idea, that filled cards could be entered in a drawing at the end of
the season. She said this would help encourage shoppers to spend
enough to fill more than just one card.
[to top of second column] |
Cara Barr serves as the Events Coordinator for the LCA. She took the floor and
discussed some of the general details of the upcoming festivals in the downtown
area.
Pigs and Swigs will be held on June 5th through 7th.
Arts in the Park will be held on July 18th and 19th.
Pigs and Swigs street closures will include Kickapoo Street from Broadway to
Clinton, Pulaski Street from one half block west of Kickapoo to North Hamilton,
McLean Street from Clinton Street to Broadway, and the 600 block of Broadway
Street.
Arts in the Park will have only one street closure, the one block of Pekin
Street adjacent to Latham Park.
Downtown shuttle point to Balloon Festival
The Balloon Festival will be primarily at the Logan County Airport in late
August, and the Railsplitting Festival and 1800’s Craft Fair will be held in
September.
These last two festivals will not have a tremendous impact on the downtown
business area.
Barr noted that one feature of the balloon festival is still is in the works,
creating a downtown pick-up point for the shuttle. She said the details had not
yet been ironed out, but that it would help encourage people to go into the
downtown area during the festival, and do some shopping before or after their
shuttle ride.
Kathy Schmidt of Prairie Years brought up the topic of holding downtown sidewalk
sales at some point in time. Barr said that she thought that was a topic that
could be addressed by the downtown committee. She said it was a great idea that
could be developed. Schmidt said she felt like it would be a great idea to get
all the merchants involved and create a great downtown activity.
Welcome bags
Festival planners are putting together welcome bags for the various vendors and
participants at the festivals this year, and merchants were invited to provide
information about their business in those bags. Bags will be given out at Pigs
and Swigs, Arts in the Park, the Balloon Festival and the Railsplitting Festival
in addition to at the LC Futbol Club’s Route 66 Shootout in September.
Hake said in regard to visitor packets, letters will be sent out to the business
owners giving them submission deadlines if they wish to have advertising placed
in those bags.
Cox said there would also be letters going out to all the downtown business
owners regarding the formation of the Downtown Business Committee. She is
hopeful that the committee will be able to call its first meeting within the
next couple of weeks. When the committee is formed, Cox will serve as a Chamber
liaison on the committee.
[Nila Smith] |
