PORT ANGELES — The hurdles to creating an active and attractive retail and social center in downtown Port Angeles include more cooperation and communication between downtown “stakeholders,” as well as increased community involvement and regular community meetings.
That’s one of the messages National Main Street program officer Sheri Stuart delivered to a group of about 50 people Tuesday on the second night of a “downtown visioning session” sponsored by the Port Angeles Downtown Association.
Working together, Stuart said, means increased communication and cooperation between business groups, city officials and merchants, renovating downtown buildings and open spaces, retaining and recruiting unique retail businesses and promoting the downtown to residents as well as tourists.
“The first step is to build relationships,” Stuart said.
“You can let change happen to you — or you can be directing that change.”
‘Draft vision statement’
Stuart presented a “draft vision statement” for the city’s downtown Tuesday based upon comments gathered during a four-hour work session held Monday
The statement was intended to lay out how residents want the downtown to “look, feel and function” in 10 years, she said.
The vision statement included making the downtown an “active and attractive” place that serves as a “gateway to adventure” to provide tax revenue for supporting the entire community.
Attendees also envisioned a year-round tourism season based upon the area’s historic, cultural, environmental and maritime assets that tie together the city’s downtown and waterfront.
Then Stuart listed goals for achieving that vision, organized by the four points of the National Main Street Downtown Revitalization Program — design, organization, promotion and economic restructuring.