Summer Newsletter – 2009

Cottage Grove Economic & Business Improvement District
“Improving the Community through Partnerships”
Summer Newsletter – 2009

Current Projects:All America City Square Project – 7th & Main

The All America City Square project is substantially complete. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held on August 13th, 2008 to officially open the plaza to the public. There are still a few finishing touches that are being addressed this summer, and we will be adding some park furniture as well. The Cottage Grove Garden Club has adopted the park and put in many hours working with the plantings and vegetation. The Artists Guild did a fantastic job painting murals inside the bathrooms. There are no outstanding bills at this time. We hope you have been able to enjoy the plaza. It is a real attraction for downtown and we have received many, many compliments from local citizens and tourists alike. It is the hope of the Board to be able to turn this project over to the city in the near future, which will allow us to pursue another project. If you have not had the opportunity to visit the All America City Square, please take the time to do so. We think you will be pleasantly surprised and proud of your contribution. EBID’s seed money made this $350,000 project a reality.

Ongoing Activities:

Mural Committee

In 2003 the mural committee approached us asking to become a member of our organization so they could accept donations from interested parties in pursuit of future mural projects. By leveraging our 501(c) 3 status, they have been able to actively pursue various funding avenues in support of their future plans. Of the over twenty large-scale pieces of art in Cottage Grove, the committee has now completed five murals in the Historic Downtown District. While they intend to pursue additional murals, this last year was spent producing full color directory/maps and post cards of the completed murals. The directory/maps are free and available at many locations throughout Cottage Grove and the post cards are sold at many retail establishments. If you have any ideas for future projects, please let us know.

Economic Development Committee

In 2006, the Economic Development Committee asked to become a member of EBID. Their objective is to work towards support and further development of existing businesses and well as recruitment of new businesses. They also have a broader scope in terms of dealing with the entire community and surrounding areas as well as the core areas of Cottage Grove. The EDC has been pursuing efforts to bolster Cottage Grove’s local economy. To that end, the EDC last summer teamed up with the Chamber of Commerce, lending financial support and business advice. In the past six months, the combined efforts have resulted in a more comprehensive approach to recruiting new businesses and networking, assessing the local market, economy, job availability and assets and assisting local companies with their requests. The EDC is self-funding and operates within its’ monetary limits. The EDC reports to the EBID board on a monthly basis.

Recycle Bins

The recycle bins for bottle and can collection continue to be profitable for the youth groups in our community. We continue to partner with the high school’s woodworking/industrial arts department in repairing and updating the covered bridge receptacles as necessary. The youth organizations continue to report high usage and income of $4,000 – $6,000 per year.

Tree Trimming

We started doing tree trimming in 2002 in the downtown area. This was a three year project to get the trees into shape for annual pruning. Ultimately, the trees will be shaped so there is good visibility of the storefronts beneath the lower limbs, while keeping the crowns neat and shaped above. We continue to assess the trimming needs of the street trees each season. Volunteers continue to do light trimming as needed.

Past Accomplishments:

Transportation and Growth Management Grant

We joined forces with the City in 2002 and provided $12,000 seed money towards the TGM Grant. This grant involves the area from 10th and Main Street west to River Road. Included will be streetscape redesign and the possibility of a major redesign of the Hwy 99 and Main Street intersection. The City has the lead and our participation at this point simply shows community support for the project.

Public Parking Signs

EBID funded five new signs for the 5 major public parking lots in the downtown area. These signs were ordered with graffiti resistant covering on both sides. Not only are the signs aesthetically pleasing, but they have improved our visibility for identifying areas for public parking use.

Interstate Signage

The EBID assisted the Chamber of Commerce with financing for new interstate signage for both the north and southbound lanes of I-5 at the main Cottage Grove exit. As well, we reviewed and made recommendations to the 4 “Attractions” signs (Winery Tours, Bike Tours, Bridge Tours & Lakes). The signage continues to inform travelers and tourists of the many attractions Cottage Grove has to offer.

“Bike” Bike racks

These bike racks were made possible in part through a grant from the Woodard Family Foundation. We were able to purchase 5 bike racks and have them installed within the Tier 1 and Tier 2 districts. The EBID thanks the City for their assistance in the installation process. Our many thanks to the Woodard family.

Benches/Trash Receptacles

Eight sets of park benches and trash receptacles were ordered and have been installed within the Tier 1 and Tier 2 districts. These sets have greatly improved the look and feel of our community. We thank the City for their assistance in the installation process. Additional sets may be available in the future.

Hwy 99 Median strips

Between 2004 and 2005 we worked with both ODOT and an independent contractor to clean and repaint the medians from Main Street to the south on Hwy 99. We also worked on clean-up along Hwy 99 both north and south of Main Street.

Main Street Planter project

The 30 large concrete planters at various locations along Main Street continue to be an inspiration for those who appreciate the value of flowers and color throughout the business corridor. Various businesses and a long list of volunteers pitch in each spring to bring the planters back to life. The city has installed some hanging planters, which compliment the ground planters and make for a much-improved streetscape.

Other Projects:

We continue to give our support to various community activities and groups including the Tourism Committee, the Historical Society, the Main Street Clean-up project and the flower basket/planter program.

We continue to strive to bring benefits and value to our community and have provided opportunities for many other groups to succeed with their projects. We will continue to work with the City and the Chamber of Commerce to meet our goals. We greatly appreciate all of your support and hope that we are helping to make Cottage Grove an even better place to live. Thank you.