Boise Mayor David Bieter will be the keynote speaker at the first State of Downtown Hailey, an event set for Friday, June 11, from 6-8 p.m. at the Liberty Theatre. Bieter will discuss the importance of downtowns to community vitality and success and will share the experiences and lessons from downtown Boise's revitalization. A reception will follow.
The event is intended to kick off a community-wide discussion of the draft Hailey Downtown Plan, which will be available for community review and input beginning today at www.haileycityhall.org.
According to Planning Director Beth Robrahn, the downtown plan develops a preliminary strategy for economic development and physical improvements, and is intended to serve as a catalyst for community action. Robrahn said that by having a downtown plan in place, the city will be in a better position to compete for grants and other funding sources to assist in economic development efforts.
Key elements of the plan are:
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· Organization: Working toward the same goal as a community.
· Promotion: Marketing a positive image of the downtown.
· Design: Improving the look, feel and function of downtown.
· Business Development: Strengthening Hailey's existing economic assets while expanding and diversifying the economic base.
A small group of citizens has been working with city staff since January to develop the plan. The purpose of the working group was to compile the key components of the plan for broader community input.
The community is also invited to attend a presentation and discussion with the Hailey City Council on Monday, June 21, at 6:30 p.m. and on Monday, June 28, at 5:30 p.m. at Hailey City Hall.
For more information, contact Robrahn at 788-9815, ext. 13, or at planning@haileycityhall.org.