1.0. HRSR 08-12-1997 - Laserfiche WebLink

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proposal. A great opportunity exists to reintroduce the Mississippi • River to the residents, shoppers, and visitors of Elk River. Funding will no doubt be a major consideration in making this pathway a reality. Theories have been discussed ad nauseum and it is time to have a tangible product from the Committee's efforts. Future segments of the pathway may connect the downtown area to the Babcock;rest area. Still other segments may connect it to other multi- use paths that exist in Elk River. 3. Capitalize on What's Downtown - Spend a half hour downtown some day and you might be surprised on what you discover. Certainly Elk River's downtown is anchored by many great financial institutions. Sandwiched between the banks, you will find many retailers and exceptional service providers. They include sporting goods stores, drug stores, automotive stores, a bakery, and a frame shop/gallery, etc. Services include a massage therapist, legal and medical providers, a print shop, and a travel agency, etc. There is a lot to discover in downtown Elk River. You might be amazed the next time you stop in at Kemper Drug and see firsthand what's exactly there. While the retail base has clearly shifted to US Highway 169, downtown Elk River is still an excellent location for many services. • Let's capitalize on them. 4. Work Together - No one individual, company, or public organization can address the ongoing challenges in an older downtown area. This will take a group effort - one that can best be described as a "public/private partnership". On a related note, businesses along Main Street or Jackson Avenue might consider working together as a single group too. Time is a precious commodity and it seems as though everyone is busy trying to earn a living. However, in some cases, working together may mean the difference between one's economic survival or demise. 5. Commit Public Funds - Here's one that will no doubt stir some discussion. Elk River is a growing community with a seemingly endless list of projects. Public funds, regardless of how scarce, should be committed to downtown redevelopment opportunities or to infrastructure projects as they emerge. The City or its economic development-redevelopment arms should not be the buyers of last resort. Investing in speculative real estate transactions is not recommended either. However, as redevelopment opportunities • present themselves, public agencies like the HRAI'ED A should be the conduit or catalyst between the seller and the end user. Let's face it, redevelopment projects are a challenge. That's why it's easier to