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Downtown Connector
August 2008
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Grab Some Summer Entertainment Before it Slips Away...
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Join us for the last "Good
Times at the Gazebo" this Saturday at 7:00 PM.
The Williams Family will be performing, concluding our free
concert series for this summer.
The Allegan Rotary Club is spicing up the Chicken
Barbeque Dinner this year! The 7th annual Charity Auction will be
held on Brady Street in downtown Allegan beginning at 4pm sharp!
Chicken will be served from 5-7pm.
Thanks to this Summer's Gazebo sponsors!
Allegan Professional Health Services
Orton, Tooman, Hale, McKnown & Kiel
This is your last opportunity to take in a FREE afternoon movie at the
Regent Theatre! Join us this week through Friday at
2pm or 4pm for Horton Hears a Who!
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Downtown
Street Resurfacing Project Update
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The street
resurfacing project in the downtown area is nearly complete!
The streets are repaved and ready for striping. Striping is
expected to be completed by the end of this week. Enjoy!
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Let's Go
Downtown - New
laws aim to revive!
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 A
new law signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm in mid-July will provide city
planners with the tools they need to help reinvent and reinvigorate
downtown areas across Michigan.
The new laws are
designed to help bring entrepreneurs and businesses to downtown.
Especially interesting is a new law that helps DDAs operate retail
business incubators. The idea is that once these new companies are
set up to do business, the area will attract young professionals to work
as well as live and shop.
"These new
incentives will add to the range of very practical tools that we have at
our disposal to promote investment and development in our
downtown," David Sperry, Assistant City Manager stated.
"The new laws will help with persevering a very valuable community
resource and fostering positive business growth in the local
community."
With the recent
announcement of the major investment of over $10 million in new
facilities being made by the Perrigo Company in Allegan and the creation
of 400 new jobs in the community, the City continues to reach out to
a number of individuals who have expressed a previous interest in
starting a new business in Allegan or expanding their existing business
with the message that, 'Now is the time to invest in Allegan!'
These new tools will only add to the possible assistance that the City of
Allegan is able to offer potential investors, whether it is a downtown
façade grant that can provide up to $50,000 for the renovation of a
downtown building through the Allegan Downtown Development Authority, a
personal property tax abatement on new manufacturing equipment, or
affordable rental space in a downtown retail incubator.
The City of Allegan
is constantly looking to capitalize on its continuing investment in the
community with new roads and utilities, expansion of the downtown
riverfront boardwalk, redevelopment of downtown City parks, a newly
expanded airport runway or the city-owned 1930s-era movie theatre
refurbished marquee, to name just a few recent public developments.
These new downtown incentives are a great addition to the tools that we
have available to offer investors and another great example of the benefits
of State and local government continuing to work together to foster
growth and development in Michigan.
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Allegan County Fair's "Idol Contest"
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Don't miss your
opportunity to showcase your musical talent! Be part of Allegan
Idol at the Allegan County Fair. There will be two age categories
for the 2008 Allegan County Fair Idol Competition. They will be
ages 5-17 and 18 and up. Prizes will be awarded to the top three
finishers in both age groups. Entry forms are due by Monday, August
25 at 5:00pm at the Allegan County Fair office.
Not a
performer? That's okay. Be sure to join us for the
finals of the "Idol Contest" on September 9 in the
grandstand. Come cheer on our local talent!
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Construction Completed on Allegan Padgham Field Runway
Expansion
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 On
Friday, July 25th, 2008 the City of Allegan Airport was reopened
following the successful completion of a $2.5 million runway expansion
project. In celebration of this exciting occasion an official Grand
Opening of the new runway and airport facilities was held on Saturday,
August 9, 2008 at Padgham Field in Allegan, MI during the 8th annual West
Michigan Fly-In. The event will featured a number of exciting
exhibits on aviation and aircraft as well as good food and other fun
activities.
This project has resulted in the realignment of the orientation of the
Padgham Field runway slightly and an extension of its length by 800 feet
to a total of 4,300 feet. This expansion will allow the City of
Allegan to better serve its existing airport users and potentially
attract new users and new private investment in the airport facilities.
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Heritage
Home Network
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The Heritage
Home Network Group, a loosely-formed club of Allegan homeowners who
love their old houses, invites anyone of like mind to join
them. The group was formed to promote and protect
Historic District Homes, but is not limited to just the Historic
District. If you have an old home you love working on, you may
enjoy sharing creative ideas and renovation solutions with others who
are doing the same.
Meeting date:
Friday, August 22 @ 7:00PM
Where: Home of
Nancy Ingalsbee (call 673-9995 for directions)
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Anishanabe Companies is Here to Serve
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Anishnabe Companies
located at 221 Trowbridge Street announces the addition of Michael De
Graffenreid. De Graffenried brings much experience and expertise to
the Anishnabe team.
Anishnabe President,
Eric Trevan has been providing economic development services for the
City of Allegan's Downtown Development Authority since April of this
year. During this ten month agreement, Trevan will
provide consulting, business plan development, training programs,
non-conventional financing and public incentive programs for existing
businesses within the downtown.
Additionally, Trevan
& De Graffenreid are available to assist those interested in starting
their own business. Anishnabe provides services to coordinate tax
incentives and public assistance programs.
Anishnabe Companies
office hours are Mondays, 8:00am through 6:00pm. They
invite those interested in services to stop in.
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Thanks for
the Memories...
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This has been a
summer to remember. Over the past 3 ½ months I have had the great
honor of being able to learn and work with the City of Allegan and Vicki
Knuckles. There is no way to describe in words the fountain of knowledge
I will take away from my experience here.
When I started in
May, I had no clue what I was walking into. All I knew of Allegan
was that it had a great County Fair and my Grandma use to sell antiques
at the Sunday markets. But I quickly learned Allegan is SO much
more. I now see a vibrant city working together to continually
improve themselves. I see a community working with its local
government, and I see business owners working together to strengthen
downtown. During my business walks of Downtown Allegan I have had a
chance to meet many of the business owners and I have had a chance to
listen to your ideas, your stories, and your struggles. These walks
have also added to my education because each idea, story, or struggle has
made me think and examine new ideas that I had not thought of before.
Now as I prepare for my last semester of college I will use my
experiences here in Allegan to prepare myself for whatever the future
holds. And while this is not good-bye, at least not yet, I want to thank
all of you for allowing me to have such a great experience here in
Allegan.
Joseph Lesausky
(Joe the Intern)
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Upcoming
Events & Happenings
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Every Thursday thru
October
Corner of Cutler
& Water St
September 20th, 3pm
to 6pm
116 Locust Street
~Fall Arts &
Craft Show 9AM-3pm Fairgrounds
~Heritage Home
Network Historic Scavenger Hunt!
Allegan
Community Players
Present: Rocky
Horror Picture Show
inter-active movie
experience
October 31 at the
Griswold
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Ideas, Suggestions
or Comments. . .
If you have article
ideas, suggestions, upcoming events or would just like to comment on
the Downtown Connector, please do! Feedback about the Connector or
how to make it better is appreciated and can be emailed to vknuckles@cityofallegan.org
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