By Ted Schnell • BocaJump
Downtown Neighborhood Association officials are pleased with the discussions that came out of Tuesday night's Brainstorm 2 session, which focused on improving perceptions of Elgin's Center City.
The discussions targeted three areas – negative perceptions of the downtown, the positive things that are happening and how to get the word out about them, although participants in the session also raised some general concerns about the area.
Jason Pawlowski, the DNA's promotions coordinator, said the event was very positive from a number of perspectives.
“These were very productive discussions, positive conversations about moving forward,” he said. “Even when they were discussing the negatives, they were talking about moving forward.”
Pawlowski added the demographics of the participants also proved very helpful.
“A lot of these folks were not downtown stakeholders – they were not all tenants or property owners or people who live downtown,” he said. “Some were not even residents of the community, so this was more than just a downtown viewpoint … these are some of the very people we are trying to attract into our downtown.”
Tuesday night's Brainstorm 2 session, moderated by DNA Executive Director Tonya Hudson, drew more than 50 people interested in discussing how to overcome lingering misconceptions about the Center City area. The crowd broke into smaller groups of seven or eight people to discuss the evening's main topics.
Some of the top misconceptions still affecting the downtown that the groups identified include:
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Crime and drunkenness in the downtown area and that the area is dangerous;
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Parking is difficult, inconvenient and expensive – a recurring theme through the evening's discussions;
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The area is a ghost down with vacant storefronts that contribute nothing toward making the area a destination;
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There are not enough family activities;
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The riverboat is the only reason to go downtown;
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The city lacks a high-quality labor pool and professionals in the area;
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There are not enough amenities such as public restrooms;
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Concerns about the lack of signs directing visitors to the downtown. This item was sparked in part by the concern that Elgin's Center City has no real “gateways” from the major thoroughfares.
But the crowd also focused on ways of combating those perceptions, many of which are no longer true. And the best way of eliminating those ghosts from the past, most agreed, is simply getting the word out, whether by word of mouth or by taking advantage of social media to promote the area.
And that is something the DNA cannot do on its own. In response to suggestions by the individual groups, Hudson acknowledged that word of mouth is the most effective way of letting people know all the positive things happening in the Center City. She also urged the participants to make use of social media like Facebook and Twitter as tools that have proven effective in marketing.
But more substantive steps also are needed, particularly as cities like Elgin cut back funding for activities as revenues decline. So part of the groups' discussions also focused on increasing activities and smaller-scale events in the downtown area, such as:
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Coordinating events with local arts, cultural and entertainment groups, and promoting those activities by hanging artwork and advertisements in the windows of vacant storefronts;
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Expanding the downtown Harvest Market to a yearlong activity that could move indoors in the winter months;
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Opening up the downtown area, particularly along the bike path, to cart vendors to help make downtown Elgin a destination point for bicyclists;
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Improving and refurbishing the signs leading into the downtown.
Other strengths group members said should be promoted included the low-cost office space available downtown, and Elgin's multicultural and economic diversity.
There were other suggestions as well. Some of those participating in the forum were from outside of town and unaware of some of the parking options. They complained about the 90-minute restriction on downtown street parking and were surprised to learn that there are other, longer-term parking options are available at the two parking decks.
