Build Your Dream Downtown workshop well attended by cross-section of citizens

By GEORGE CUSTER/Editor/The Herald  —  A first meeting of a workshop that was held in the Oakridge Museum was well attended. Also in attendance were key persons from several of the area’s volunteer groups. The group’s reps got together for the idea of inviting the workshop to Oakridge’s Uptown District. The Theme: Build Your Own Dream Downtown.

What should the Uptown District look like in the future?

Lynda Kamerrer, representing the Uptown Business & Revitalization Association (UBRA), opened up the meeting

with introductions and an explanation of the purpose for the workshop. The meeting was then turned over to Cayla Catino. Cayla represents Rural Development Initiatives or RDI, who puts on the workshop as a free service to communities. As a program manager, she facilitated what would be the first of two sessions with the goal of determining what the participants believe to be their idea of the perfect downtown moving into the future.

Each of the groups sitting at the six tables were asked by Cayla to brainstorm ideas for elements of what each person thought their perfect downtown should include. This section would be developing the small group action from each tables input. Looking for similarities after all of the tables had posted their ideas would help to see a theme coming together.

A second meeting will coalesce the ideas into a plan of action

These reoccurring ideas would be the used during the next meeting to refine and be developed into an action plan. With a plan in hand, ways to accomplish these “dreams” will drive funding needs and tasks that can be attainable.

This segment of the program began once dinner, catered by the Middle Fork Bistro, was served. Funding for the catered meal was provided by Regional Accelerator & Innovation Network, commonly referred to by its acronym RAIN.

The next meeting of the BYDD is set for Thursday, May 9 at 4 p.m.