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Fond du Lac, Wis.
In an effort to revitalize Downtown Fond du Lac, drive consumerism and tourism and economic health, more than 150 members of the public met at the Windhover Center for the Arts and the Ramada Plaza Hotel on February 15-18, 2010 for a community immersion workshop. Through one-on-one interviews, focus groups and community forums, participants shared ideas for a new downtown Fond du Lac cultural arts district.
A cultural arts district would leverage existing downtown facilities, as well as create new arts, education and entertainment facilities in a central downtown location. Essential access points to the proposed cultural district include the North gateway as the main entrance to downtown located along Main Street between Johnson Street and Merrill Avenue; and the river walk encompassing the area adjacent to the Fond du Lac River and Hamilton Park including a recreational trail.
The four-day immersion workshop was hosted by Kevin Miller, executive director of the Fond du Lac Arts Council and Amy Hansen, director of the Downtown Fond du Lac Partnership. Professional community development consultants have been engaged; team members include Schreiber Anderson Associates (SAA) of Madison, lead planning consultant; the North Group, Inc., a New York cultural arts firm; BEST Real Estate Group, Inc., Cottage Grove, Wis., a market analysis and real estate consultant; and Coalesce Inc., Appleton, a strategic marketing agency.
At the center of discussion was the redesigned Fond du Lac Downtown which will serve as the community “great room” as well as provide the city with business, job, and tourism growth.
Business owners, property owners, civic leaders, educators, members of local arts and culture groups, and citizens provided valuable input for the proposed districts. “Our goal is to leverage Fond du Lac’s existing assets and create new facilities for arts and entertainment to encourage and stimulate business development,” said Kevin Miller, arts council executive director. “This will help to drive tourism in the area.”
Proposed ideas included new, upscale restaurants, pubs, coffee houses, museums, gallery space, a venue for film festivals, an open-air amphitheater, specialty shops, better-marked parking and signage, university downtown classrooms, a community school for the arts and historically consistent facades and lighting for the district.
Results of the Community Immersion Workshop will be incorporated into a vision plan and shared with the public at a community vision forum scheduled for April 29, 2010 at Windhover Center for the Arts.
For More Information, Contact:
Kevin Miller – Arts Council Executive Director
kevin@windhovercenter.org
(920)-921-5410
Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center
Madison, WI ▪ April 14-15, 2010
It’s the Economy Stupid!
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- Keynote Speakers
- Rogier V. Kamerling, PhD. (Economist, M&I Capital Markets)
- Scott Walker (Milwaukee County Executive; Candidate for Wisconsin Governorship)
- General Sessions
- Planes, Trains and Automobiles – How Transportation Will Effect the Future of Retail Development
- The Newlywed Game
- Moving Ahead in Today’s Economy – How Industry Leaders are Adapting to Succeed in the New Economic Reality
- Roundtable Discussions
Three 15-minute sessions, repeating to allow participation in multiple discussions. See the program for a complete list of topics.Link is below
http://www.icsc.org/srch/mt/descs/2010WI/2010WI.pdf
- Deal Making
Your chance to network and conduct business with retailers, brokers, developers, owners, lenders, suppliers and city, municipality and economic development agencies from across the region. See the program for a Deal Making Table/Booth Request form.
- Plus Member-Sponsored Reception and Next Gen Social Hour
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WDAC again collaborates to offer downtown webinars
In its second season, the webinar series called Revitalizing Wisconsin’s Downtowns provide downtowns with sound advice, local dialogue and peer-learning.
Local leaders, downtown directors and local economic development professionals (and anyone interested in your downtown) have an opportunity to contribute to supporting your downtown district. State and national experts present information relevant to the topics and are available to address questions.
You and your community can easily be part of these quarterly sessions.
Topics & Dates: (Thursdays noon until 1:30pm)
March 11: Shopping Downtown and the “Deliberate Consumer”
May 13: Living Downtown
September 9: Working Downtown
November 11: Entertainment Downtown
You can access these webinars from home or business with the appropriate computer and phone setup, the full value of the program is achieved when everyone participates from a regional host site where you can learn from and interact with your peers and share in the local dialogue.
In most cases, local sponsorships are used to help defray or reduce the cost of participating in these programs. For more information and to register contact the appropriate UW-Extension host in your area.
Check out: http://lgc.uwex.edu/downtowns/
Revitalizing Wisconsin’s Downtowns is a collaborative effort among Wisconsin Downtown Action Council, Wisconsin Main Street Program and University of Wisconsin-Extension.
 Education ongoing, online and around the state
The Energy Center University offers and array of training and education opportunities listed on their calendar. Some current opportunities include:
- Daylighting: Lighting Every Building Using the Sky – Architects, lighting professionals, interior designers, building design professionals, engineers and anyone interested in learning about daylighting is invited to take advantage of this streaming webinar.
- Building Systems: Commissioning and Retro-commissioning – Commissioning and/or retro-commissioning of buildings is a cost-effective means of improving their energy efficiency and ensuring their safe and efficient operation over time. Learn about systematic processes for documenting building operation and system interactions and how to determine whether an existing building is a good candidate for retro-commissioning. Workshops to be held September 22 in Madison, WI and September 23 in Chicago, IL.
- Commercial Solar Thermal Design and Installation – Workshop to be held September 22 in Delafield, WI.
- Other program topics include: daylighting/lighting, demand control, energy efficiency, energy modeling, geothermal, HVAC, motor systems, power quality, sustainable design, water efficiency
Programs focus on green building and are held around the state and online throughout the year. See the Energy Center University calendar for more information and to find trainings near you!
Education ongoing, online and around the state
The Wisconsin Entrepreneur’s Network (WEN) provides access to entrepreneurial resources and expertise to enable Wisconsin to be competitive in a global economic environment. In addition to their online resource center, WEN hosts an array of educational and networking opportunities. Below are just a few of the courses offered this month; check the calendar for upcoming events near you!
Hiring and Firing Employees - June 25, Kaukauna
Grant Writing Workshop – June 27, Wonewoc
Starting Your Own Business – July 1, Madison
Project Management Certificate – July 6, La Crosse
Social Media and Business Presence – July 8, Stevens Point
If you’re looking for even more localized resources for entrepreneurship, check out ORIGIN, the Oshkosh Regional Innovation and Growth Incubator Network; or the Green County Development Corporation (GCDC). Each organization has a host of entrepreneur resources and network opportunities through their websites.
Education ongoing – around the country
The Center for NonProfit Success hosts seminars and workshops aimed at developing nonprofit leadership, guiding fundraising efforts and helping nonprofits make the most of their limited resources. Their midwest events for this year include the Chicago Nonprofit Leadership Series which runs from June through December. The series will examine the characteristics of a strong, well-functioning nonprofit organization including board development, executive transition, public relations and long term sustainability. More Information…
September 18, 3:00pm – 4:30pm, online
The American Planning Association presents:
Creating Truly Collaborative Planning: Future Melbourne’s Collaborative Plan Writing Initiative
Melbourne undertook a bold initiative to create Australia’s first truly collaborative plan. The Future Melbourne planning effort used technology in a significant way throughout the planning process, including providing an online wiki that allowed residents to edit that draft plan and integrate their own ideas. The plan won the Planning Institute of Australia’s President’s Award for 2009. More Information…
June 16, 11:30-12:30, online
Community Organizing for Sustainability
sponsored by the UW-Extension Center for Community and Economic Development
Where does a community start if it is interested in organizing for sustainability? Who takes the lead? What are the roles of local governments, local businesses and local organizations? Is it easier to pursue sustainability in urban versus rural areas? This session explores these questions and offers examples that include study circles, early adopter projects, comprehensive planning and local sustainability alliances. More Information…
ongoing, around the country
 The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) offers a number of conferences and workshops throughout the year that address the needs of industry professionals, business owners and entrepreneurs. As the national trade association for the wind industry, AWEA strives to create and deliver educational events that capture the energy of the rapidly expanding wind market and offer necessary opportunities for organizations to learn and network with fellow wind professionals. The revenue generated from AWEA events is used to promote and advance the wind industry through policy analysis and promotion, to ensure wind industry interests are addressed in renewable energy legislation, to communicate the benefits of wind energy to all.
Education ongoing, around the state
The Midwest Renewable Energy Association promotes renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable living through education and demonstration. As part of their mission, the offer a wide assortment of workshops on construction, design and various sources of renewable energy. More Information…
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