News Releases Article
Woodland, Ridgefield gain grants
Originally published in The Reflector, 28 November, 2001. Reprinted with permission.
by Michele Bloomquist
Both Woodland and Ridgefield were awarded grants to help develop plans to revitalize downtown areas under the Northwest Economic Adjustment Initiative.
Ridgefield’s $20,000 grant will be used to sponsor community forums aimed at bringing various community groups together to develop a community action plan, said Ellen Rogers, marketing manager for the Port of Ridgefield.
“It’s a pretty neat place,” she said. “And we want to keep the downtown area alive.”
Community forums will include members from the Chamber of Commerce, the community center, neighborhood associations, the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife, library, the city, and local business owners.
The goal?
“To coordinate their actions and increase ‘the synergy of efforts in the downtown area,” said Rogers.
The Woodland grant for $24,000 will be used to pay for study and formulating a plan torevitalize .the downtown area.
“It’s a modest downtown area,” said director of public works Rob VanderZanden, “But we have a lot going on.
The goal, he said, will be to take a look at what businesses are already there, what businesses would do well there, and how to attract them.
“We want to understand what businesses will be successful here and how to make that happen,” he said.
“We’re looking for both short term and long-term recommendations,” he said.
The city advertized to find a contractor to perform the study. So far, 13 candidates applied, said VanderZanden, and the city is in the process of choosing which candidate will conduct the study.
Other cities that received similar grants include Castle Rock, Cougar and Ryderwood.
The economic grant is intended to assist Pacific Northwest communities that were dependant on a .forest-based economy develop new economic opportunities for year-round, family-wage jobs.
The Initiative brings the Forest Service together with eight other federal agencies, as well as the state and local governments, for funding projects that are community priorities.
Over $9.8 million in grants have been awarded as part of the program since its inception in 1993.
