Grand Rapids Central Business District Association to Discuss New Downtown Revitalization Program

The  next meeting for the Central Business District Association will be:

Wednesday, December 14th,

8:00 am at the Central School - Ground Level.

 

On November 17th, Emily Northey was here and gave her presentation on the Minnesota Mainstreet Program. 

 

In 1977, the National Trust of Historic Preservation launched the Main Street Program as a 3 year pilot aimed at preserving deteriorating downtown buildings in 3 midwestern communities.  Today they use a Four Point Approach to Commercial District Revitalization:  Design, Economic Restructuring, Promotion, Organization.

 

Designated Main Street Programs in Minnesota are in Brainerd, Fairbault, New Ulm, Red Wing and Wilmar.

 

Associate Member Programs are in Albert Lea, Amboy Community Club, Austin, Belle Plaine, Chisholm, Hastings, Lake City, Litchfield, Luverne EDA, Mankatao, Northfield, Osakis, Owatonna, Park Rapids, St. Cloud, Sauk Centre, Stillwater, Wabasha, Winona, Worthington.

 

Grand Rapids has many pieces of this program in place already.  We have so many good things to offer already.  Now we have to decide, "Is this the program that will take us the rest of the way to revitalize Downtown Grand Rapids?"  We don't need to re-invent the wheel.  They've already done that.

 

The program has been very successful in many cities already.  There is a time commitment and monetary commitment to the program.  Three years seems to be an average where cities can measure results but this can vary.  There would also be an employee for the program who coordinate all the activities and responsibilities.  Emily was this person for the Brainerd program.

 

For more information about the program, please go to www.mnpreservation.org/programs/main-street or Google Minnesota Mainstreet Program.  There is a boatload of good information there.

 

Please attend the meeting.  Everyone's opinion is important! 

 

Thank you,

Jean  Healy, Manager
Central Square Mall
201 NW 4th Street
Grand Rapids MN 55744
P:218-326-4765
F:218-999-5020

Grand Rapids Area Library Foundation receives grant for Riverfront Energy Center

Jeff Larson from MN Energy (representing the Wisconsin Public Services Foundation) presented the first installment, $2000, of a pledged $6000 donation to the Grand Rapids Area Library Foundation for the educational portion of the Riverfront Energy Center.   The presentation was made Thursday, December 1st in front of the library.

 

The River Front Energy Center, to be completed by December 11, will utilize hot waste water from the UPM Kymmene paper mill to provide heat for the Grand Rapids Area Library.  The goal is a reduction of 70% in the use of the gas-fired boilers in the library. 

 

The Grand Rapids Area Library Foundation is raising money for the educational components of the project, which will include interactive displays of on-going processes, a demonstration solar unit and a demonstration wind turbine.   Fundraising events and activities will be taking place during the next several months, and donations will also be accepted at the Library.

 

The first phase of the educational project will be a dashboard showing real time building data with energy consumed from various sources, and the amount of energy saved.  The dashboard will be accessible remotely via the internet, as well as from inside the building and the Library.  (A demonstration of one version of an educational dashboard can be found at : http://franklin.qagdevelopment.com/  ) 

The Grand Rapids Public Utilities Commission has also pledged a contribution of $5000 for the educational project. 

Construction of the Energy Center has been funded in part with grants from the Iron Ranges Resources and Rehabilitation Board and the Blandin Foundation

Children First! Events for November 2011 in Grand Rapids

These FREE events are funded in part by Children First! and Blandin
Foundation. Come spend some time with us!

Zany Filmo Puppets - Tuesday Nov. 15th 3:30-4:45 pm at Grand Rapids
Area Library
Pinocchio=Puppets – Check out the book Pinocchio. Discover how to make
your own puppet with Creativity Tank artists. Create your own story
for your puppet. Free and open to all ages! Children 0-6 must be
accompanied by an adult. Registration required. Register online at
www.getlearning.org or call Library at 327-8823

Thanksgiving Dinner at the Ground Floor – Thursday, Thanksgiving Day,
Nov. 24th 6pm-Midnight
Don't spend the Holiday alone! Spend it at Ground Floor enjoying a
delicious Thanksgiving Dinner. Free dinner for area youth 13-college
age and their parents or grandparents.

Respectfully submitted,
Karen Walker
Children First! ISD 318 Coordinator
820 NW First Avenue
Grand Rapids, MN 55744
218-327-5799
kwalker@isd318.org
www.getlearning.org

Find us on Facebook
Itasca Area Community Education - Minnesota
http://www.facebook.com/itascaareacommunityeducationminnesota
Children First! Itasca County Minnesota
http://www.facebook.com/childrenfirstitascacountyminnesota

October 25th Food Day: Eat Real Workshop

In honor of Food Day, Get Fit Itasca will be hosting a workshop entitled Food Day: Eat Real on October 25 from 6pm to 8pm at the Grand Rapids YMCA.

 

The evening includes:

 

· Knife skills instruction by Le Cordon Bleu Certified Chef, Meghan Bown

· Group Supper preparation

· Food for Health with U of MN Extension educator, Betsy Johnson

· Round table discussions: How to increase fruit & vegetables and still keep your costs down?

· Take-homes, including:   tips for reducing salt, fat & sugar; recipes and menus

 

There is a $5.00 Registration fee

Pre Registration required at the Itasca County Family YMCA

400 River Road, Grand Rapids, MN 55744

Please refer questions to Meghan Bown,

Get Fit Itasca/SHIP Community Health Coordinator at 327-1161

Visit www.getfititasca.org to learn more about physical activity and healthy eating in Itasca County!

 

Central Businesses/MN Historical Society to Host Minnesota Main Street Program Presentation

Emily Northey presents the Minnesota Main Street Program

Date:   November 17, 2011

Time:   8 am - 10 am

Location:   Grand Rapids Old Central School - Third Floor. 

This location provides an excellent overview of the Downtown Grand Rapids area.

 

Central Businesses and the MN Historical Society would like to invite you to attend Emily Northey's presentation on the Minnesota Main Street Program.  Minnesota Main Street, a program of the Preservation Alliance of MN, provides participating local Main Street organizations with the training, tools, information and netowrking they need to be successful in their downtown revitalization efforts.

 

In 1977, the National Trust of Historic Preservation launched the Main Street Program as a 3 year pilot aimed at preserving deteriorating downtown buildings in 3 midwestern communities.  Today they use a Four Point Approach to Commercial District Revitalization:  Design, Economic Restructuring, Promotion, Organization.

 

Designated Main Street Programs in Minnesota are in Brainerd, Fairbault, New Ulm, Red Wing and Wilmar.

 

Associate Member Programs are in Albert Lea, Amboy Community Club, Austin, Belle Plaine, Chisholm, Hastings, Lake City, Litchfield, Luverne EDA, Mankatao, Northfield, Osakis, Owatonna, Park Rapids, St. Cloud, Sauk Centre, Stillwater, Wabasha, Winona, Worthington.

 

We would like to have as many CBDA members as possible plus Visit Grand Rapids, City of Grand Rapids, City of Grand Rapids Parks and Rec, Chamber of Commerce, Riverfront Task Force, Central School Task Force, EDA, Community Foundation, Grand Rapids Arts, Central School Commission.  We are also extending an invitation to Senator Tom Saxhaug and Representative Carolyn McElfatrick. 

 

This could be a very exciting program for us so please extend our invitation to any businesses or people you think would be interested in learning about the Minnesota Main Street Program!  We welcome everyone and hope they will attend!

 

Sincerely,

Jean  Healy, Manager
Central Square Mall
201 NW 4th Street
Grand Rapids MN 55744
P:218-326-4765
F:218-999-5020
csmall@paulbunyan.net

Dixon Lake Drowning Victim Identified

Itasca County Chief Deputy Gregg Deutsch reports on Oct. 03, 2011, at approximately 3:44 pm the Itasca County Sheriffs' Office received a 911 call of a possible drowning on Dixon Lake in Itasca County.  It was reported an adult male was observed floating in the water next to a dock.

Itasca County Sheriff Deputies, Minnesota Conservation Officers, and Leech Lake Conservation Officers responded to the scene.  Itasca County Search and Rescue was called out and put on standby.

Upon arrival at Dixon Lake, an elderly adult male was found floating in the water next to his dock.  The victim has been identified as David Jerome Ekberg, age 82.

Itasca County Coroner was notified and Blackduck Ambulance transported the victim to Grand Itasca Medical Center for an autopsy.  Results are pending.

First Friday at Something Original

Please join us...   What: It's FIRST FRIDAY, October 7   Where: something ORIGINAL   When: 4 - 8 pm   Who: we are proud to announce Itasca Orchestra members: MAGGIE Anderson, OLIVIA Skaja, and SOLVEIG Viren, performing from 6:30 to 7:30 pm.   Visiting ARTISAN: Liz White {offering special October pricing}     ENJOY complimentary mulled cider and delectibles   We look forward to seeing you! Sheri & Stephanie

something ORIGINAL, inc. | 28 NW 4th Street | Suite A | Grand Rapids | MN | 55744