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Blog Entry 171 of 194 Dial 'T' for Tabitha
I'm a bicycling poet who lived in Parker for several years and worked at YourHub.com, covering Parker and Franktown for two years.

I am studying poetry at CSU in the Master of Fine Arts program ...

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Blog Url: http://denver.yourhub.com/~MusingsOfTabithaDial

A renaissance begins for Old Town Parker

Contributed by: Tabitha Dial   on 6/28/2007

The conference room at the Parker Water & Sanitation building, 19801 E. Mainstreet, was packed with people June 26 for a Downtown Development Committee (DDC) meeting.

The meeting addressed a redesign of downtown Parker that David Van Landschoot, chairperson elect of the DDC, is calling a renaissance, not a redevelopment.

"We haven't even touched the concepts of how we can draw people to Old Town Parker," said Van Landschoot.

The DDC is a committee of downtown land owners who came together in September 2006.

"We are here because we know that (it) has value," said Van Landschoot, of the Town of Parker's Mainstreet improvement project, which will feature streetscape, drainage, sidewalks and more. The town's project has a $2.2 million budget.

Construction is expected to begin on the northwest end of downtown Parker on Mainstreet in September and should take six months, according to Chris Hudson, capital improvements program manager for Parker Public Works.

The town's downtown improvement project will "improve pedestrian connectivity," said Hudson.

There will still be parallel parking along Mainstreet, with an expected "increase of about six spots when it's all said and done," he said.

Hudson also said Parker's signature five-globe light poles will stand at key intersections when the project is completed.

On July 17, the DDC will meet to review the public art program they propose as part of the new downtown. To date, the DDC has reached their goal of raising $150,000 toward a total of $500,000 for the sculptures they propose for the area. They will present the program to Parker Town Council on July 23.

In August, the public will be invited to ask questions about the town's plans for the cultural center planned for the downtown area, said Colbe Galston, a reference librarian for Parker Library. The center may be ready to open in a few years.

During the meeting, representatives from North Star Destination Strategies, a community branding company, presented the idea of community branding.

The business studies and capitalizes on the perceptions people have of communities that are looking to distinguish themselves from other towns and cities, according to Amy Bailey, a communtiy brand supervisor for North Star.

The DDC agreed to consider working with North Star on doing community branding for the town.

"(This would) start getting that buzz factor," said Benjamin Snow, executive director for the Parker Economic Development Council. Community branding, he said, could get people to look at "what's happening in Parker."

More information on the redesign can be found on the Douglas County Libraries Web site.
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Related Links

Mainstreet redesign to begin post-festival
YourHub.com blogger Robin Nolet on Mainstreet redesign

Public Art Program Summary
Map indicating proposed sculpture locations
How Mainstreet is expected to look this November
Image of proposed archway
Potential map of downtown performing arts center and library


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CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Tabitha Dial

Denver , CO

Tabitha Dial has posted 194 blog entries and 816 comments since joining on 9/14/2005. Tabitha Dial's average blog rating is 4.96.
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