So proud of what I have seen in Baroda the last couple of years. - TopicsExpress



          

So proud of what I have seen in Baroda the last couple of years. All of the members of the Baroda Area Business Association. The hard work they have put in since forming just a couple of years ago. This article is from the Harald Palladium By WILLIAM F. AST III - HP Correspondent | 0 comments BARODA - Baroda got a starring role in The Economics of Place: The Art of Building Great Communities, a book just published by the Michigan Municipal League. Barodas revitalization efforts were noted Thursday in a book release session at the Round Barn Public House in downtown Baroda. The story of the villages successful initiative comes first in the 226-page, color-illustrated book. The villages 12-year effort, establishing Baroda as The Heart of Wine Country, has resulted in a handsome new look for First Street and, likely enough, such bustling new businesses as the Public House. The Uncork Paw Paw campaign and the building of the Silver Beach Center in St. Joseph have subchapters in the book. Baroda in the book has some distinguished company, such as the Traverse City Film Festival, the Detroit City Futbol League and Zingermans Delicatessen in Ann Arbor. Its the culmination of 12 years of hard work, come to fruition, said Bob Getz, president of the Baroda Village Council. It was a long time coming, but I think that the rewards are worth it. We pretty much changed the shape of downtown. Getz said consultant Charles Eckenstahler had a big hand in the efforts. Daniel Gilmartin, MMLs executive director and chief executive officer, said the book is a kind of how to manual for anyone interested in making their communities better. It describes projects and how people accomplished them, including grants they applied for and lessons learned. For example, the chapter on the Silver Beach Center counseled, Be patient. It took several years for the city and its partners to come up with a development plan for Silver Beach that would achieve their stated goals. You all have ideas about whats good in a community, a lake, architecture, bike trails, walkability, Gilmartin told his audience. Older communities, like the one were in now, really have a leg up now. Young people want to be in these places. Of course, the older communities must have something to offer, Gilmartin said. The last 50 years, weve been building our state for cars, not people, Gilmartin said. But when you build your community for people, things change. In his introduction to the book, Gilmartin said people now want to be able to walk to places in their communities, and planners and officials must take that into account. It is a shame that some places, due to planning decisions at city hall, it makes more sense for people to drive their cars to the gym to walk on a treadmill, rather than take a stroll along the city streets because of speeding automobile traffic, a lack of sidewalks, or improper lighting in the evening, Gilmartin wrote. Folks, thats just nuts! We need to do better. Baroda once had Casual Country Charm as its slogan. Village officials, sensing that an identity that included wineries and agritourism would draw more people, entered into a project with Baroda Township, Bridgman, Lake Township, Oronoko Township and Berrien Springs for a wayfinding sign project. The wayfinding signs direct tourists to the areas wineries and attractions. State Sen. John Proos, R-St. Joseph and state Rep. Dave Pagel, R-Berrien Springs, gave signed testimonials to Baroda and Bridgman officials for their efforts. Milt Richter, president of the Berrien Springs Village Council, said the wayfinding signs have meant a noticeable uptick in visitors. The signs are fantastic, the placement is great, Richter said. People come into the village all the time and say, Well, thanks, the signs directed us here. We really appreciate that. During the same period, Baroda applied for and received a number of state grants to help fund fixing up the downtown streets, sidewalks and street lights. Gilmartin said that improved the villages appeal and prospects. Maybe nobody came onto this street in Baroda a couple of years ago, unless they were working in industrial, Gilmartin told The Herald-Palladium, looking out at First Street. Youre gone by 5 oclock and went home. Now its a place to come. Theres over 70 people here today to find out how they can do more for their own communities. This is really good. Baroda Area Business Association officials were also enthusiastic. Vice President Jim Small said the Public House, a former tool and die building, spruced up the south end of our town, and now the businesses around are taking notice and taking a little more pride and making their places up to snuff. Barodas coming alive. Association President Larry Martin said the effects have been dramatic. Oh, my gosh, just the amount of people that are coming into Baroda, the businesses that are coming into Baroda, the Round Barn which is expanding, Martin said. A lot of good things are happening in Baroda. A lot of it is due to this initiative. Greta Hurst of the Tabula Rasa gallery on First Street in Baroda said Baroda is no longer a cipher to others. Whats really exciting is that wherever you go, all over Southwest Michigan now, when you say Baroda, people dont ask, Where is that? Hurst said. Theyve heard of it in some context or another, and they want to know more. Hurst said she plans to make book copies available in her gallery. The books retail price is $19.95, and people may also order copies at economicsofplace. It was released on Oct. 17.
Posted on: Sat, 25 Oct 2014 15:48:15 +0000

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