People are enjoying downtown Albion more than ever in 2019 with the completed brick streets and increased entertainment. We share a photo gallery below with some new videos on the way. We also share a request to those who want to help downtown, with a few minutes of their time, in the comfort of their own homes. Enjoy the photos, then come back to read the request from Albion’s Downtown Development Authority, below that.
Entertainment at Cascarelli’s, this Wednesday July 17, 2019 starting at 7 pm.Don’t miss Salt (Ryan Soekarmoen, ’18, drums) and Pepper (Ryan Powell, ’19, tenor sax) in their last performance before Pepper takes off to New York for grad school! The Ball Brothers (guitar, synth, and bass) complete the quartet.
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Downtown Albion Wants Your Voice to be Heard
Attention Albionites! The community of Albion has an opportunity to assist the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) as it updates the city’s strategic plan for downtown. The DDA is a team of a dozen people with an interest in downtown, including those who live downtown and the mayor. The board members need to get feedback from the people of Albion, so the city can better plan the future of Albion’s main street and its offerings. Your feedback is needed to do the best job of planning future work in downtown Albion.
Please click this link to take a short survey about your experience downtown:
www.surveymonkey.com/r/AlbionDowntown
Because of Albion’s selection as a Rising Tide community by the State of Michigan, the City is working with the consulting firm Beckett & Raeder Inc. (BRI). The firm has worked within top Michigan locations such as Ann Arbor’s Zingerman’s Delicatessen, Blackman Park Expansion in Jackson, and Downtown Greenway in Petoskey. Feedback from Albion residents and those familiar with downtown will help BRI to plan what will work best here, as the community works to move forward after decades of hardship.
The Community Development Fellow for Rising Tide – Albion, Linda LaNoue, is excited that of the ten Rising Tide communities, “Albion has the most challenges but is continuing to excel, in my opinion, because of our diversity and experience overcoming obstacles.”
LaNoue went on to thank the people in Albion that she encounters as part of Project Rising Tide. She is also a resident of downtown and member of Albion’s Downtown Development Authority.
She said that although she has felt challenged by her work, Albion’s ability to “make space for all people, is one of a kind. Albion’s core assets include welcoming people of all sorts, such as foreign exchange students, people with different abilities, ages and languages. Albion has a cultural fluency not found elsewhere in a small town.”
LaNoue asked to thank everyone in Albion who participates in any cultural events, civic engagement, and volunteerism. She is glad there is a survey for people to share their insights and enhance future development.
Please send in your feedback by Friday, July 26, 2019, to contribute to the planning efforts in time for increased activity in the fall.
