5.0. SR 10-23-2000 - Laserfiche WebLink

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. . '. -..; . ... ~ _.~.,._.. -.' . --..----1' --"--'1 . -, ---- I r Opinions ' ,Vital downtown tlelp~ ~Y~in~~~g~, e.otire(,jg;QmlijaQj~;l. The..Qhristian Science.:MoIlitor'reports. th.at..around the country, suburban' co:rm:~b.nitiesa.I"e\.actually building dowhtowns-speciah::ommunitfplaces.' ':<, ' Here'in Elk River we :have a quaint downto)Vnalong the Mississippi River~ .Thi~\is atreasure,', bl.lt our leadership is content toJet'.!tevolv~into",~,at~he marketplace. will allow.)/,..,+,.... ....' .......i:'.,..i...i."',,,.j,.......,.: This downtown has been studied to death;'there are at least'two pla'ns for developme.ntalong the'river. The Housing and Redevelopment Authority . got leaders together and developed an expanded central business district. That movement has lost momen- tum. ..' .; .." ":\' .' '.' .; , . ." ""'_ Last Monday... night' the ....:Economic Development Authority (EDA) listened to a proposal from a com- mittee of the Elk River Rotary Club.. The committee wants to put a replica of a river paddle-wheeler at . the foot of the hill where Elk River Hardware once stood. The Rotary Clu~ asked. the. EpAto.frol1t-end the cost, promising to p'ay it back.' ....i.i:.)..,i The EDA in chorus, except for one, said that's a nice idea, but it needs to fit the' plan.. What plan? ..... ." The downtown merchants several years .ago agreed they want the downtown to have a historic river, city look. They were .assessed for those improvements. The city has been more than generous with its sup- port. The downtown is carrying out the historic look which some merchants have beer{trying to carry out in their business: Diamond City Bread, aIde Main Eatery and Sweet Shoppe, Antiques Downtown, the Haberdashery, Tony Mikols 'photo' shop, the Nook Gift Shop and Natural Expressions. . . Contrary to what Council Member Paul' Motin believes, that decision has been made. A past council agreed with installing "Historic Elk River" signs and with putting up a replica of the bandstarid of which every'one in Elk River was so proud. '. .' The delay is convincing the EDA and the city coun- Cil that there is a payoffin historic and artistjcdevel- opment. Other communities have demonstrated that the arts and history can 'combine to bring. economic dividends. ' Elk River won't ever be another barren suburb With- out a downtown.' The question the leadership has to '. A~~~~~~l~t11:e.~~~t~~&6Wrt1~~\~;b~k~hi.ffi~;~ whole community and every business in it. - Don U.o~"'P'7,"""n..... ' . .