Downtown Future Is Discussed
BOBBY ARDOIN
St. Landry Now.com Editor
(Photos by Freddie Herpin)
Those vacant buildings, problematic sidewalks and lack of parking spaces often considered hindrances to Opelousas downtown economic development could perhaps soon be removed after their effects were discussed on Tuesday afternoon.
Participants at the “What’s Next For Downtown Opelousas” planning session hosted at the Bloch Street Space by Opelousas Main Street asked questions, plotted solutions and prioritized projects that they think might reenergize the downtown area.
Issues Addressed
Is there a need for more infrastructure improvements? Or maybe there should be more attention paid to accessibility for the disabled who want to experience downtown. More retail locations and restaurants were certainly a priority for the approximately 55 persons who attended the workshop on how to remarket the downtown.
Those attending were divided into groups and fed their ideas for downtown revitalization to members of the Center For Planning Excellence who wrote a downtown master plan several years ago that is used as a reference manual by Main Street.
End Result
Main Street board chairman Gretchen Erlingson said the ideas presented on Tuesday are an initial step that the organization will use to present at some point to Department Of Transportation officials.
“In the meeting that we plan to have in the future with the DOT, we will bring these funding proposals that will provide assistance for either the city or for Main Street,” Erlingson said in an interview.
The Discussions
Main Street representatives already armed a pre-meeting prospectus developed from an online survey the organization and CPEX representatives used to help guide the meeting.
The responses indicated that improving infrastructure, developing a downtown core, providing inviting venues, providing businesses that become downtown anchors and creating an atmosphere that gives reasons for people to meet are important to redeveloping the downtown.
What is needed now, Erlingson added, is what she described is a plan that identifies priorities that could be ready for implementation in 2027.
“Your voice is what will make the work that we do today become that action plan,” said Erlingson.
Main Street member Candace Papillion told the group that the input from those attending was important.
“We become stronger when we work together and everyone has something to contribute,” Papillon said.
