Workshop success #1

Our first workshop was held Wednesday at Mestizo Coffee House...and it was a great success! Many thanks to all the attendees that made it possible, and thanks to our partners for sending representatives to answer questions.

In short, we had over 50 people who live or work in the area participate. Food ran out quickly, (so we will be better prepared with MORE food for the next workshop) and we want to thank Mestizo for the delicious food and great service.

REMINDER:
For those that were not able to attend the Wednesday workshop, we will be holding another workshop next Thursday (March 26, 2008) from 6:30pm - 8:30pm, at NeighborWorks Salt Lake.

NeighborWorks info:
622 West 500 North Salt Lake City, UT 84116 801-539-1590

The activities will be the same as those at the Wednesday workshop. We will have a kids corner so you can come on by and share your concerns worry-free!

NEWS STORY:
The local radio station, KCPW, attended the Wednesday event, and did a news story on the event. I'm posting the text of the story below for the future, when the link is old and outdated:

West Side Residents Share Hopes for "Grand Boulevard" Vision
Mar 19, 2009 by Elizabeth Ziegler

(KCPW News) University of Utah graduate students taking part in aresearch project, dubbed the West Side Studio, are gathering inputfrom West side residents about how to turn North Temple into thecity's vision of a "Grand Boulevard." Assistant Professor of City andMetropolitan Planning Caitlin Cahill instructs the class, which heldits first community workshop yesterday.

"So we really wanted to hear from the community, but we're also awarethat for many they might not be thinking about some of the issues thatthe planners know are issues, and so how to really create aninteractive process, that's on the one hand informative, but reallytreats the community members here as they experts they really are intheir every day lives," Cahill said.

Students involved in the project will compile the information gatheredat the two community workshops to give city planning officials as theybegin the three year, $10 million project. Participants were asked toshare their priorities and concerns. Beautifying the street with treesand flower beds was one big priority. And west side resident JulieGuarino ranked safety as her top priority.

"Just walking over here I got propositioned, so as a woman living inthis side of town, it doesn't always feel safe. There's a lot of drugdeals and stuff like that going on," Guarino said. "While I was inthere, a lot of people, like me, were concerned with the parks and thepaths and things to beautify the community and maybe bring it back toa more natural feel, not so much concrete and asphalt."

The redesign will likely cause problems of its own, said Bill Knowleswith the North Temple Community Advisory Committee. Knowles noted thatsmall businesses in the area will need to endure three years ofconstruction. He said the community should be aware that thesebusinesses will need customers throughout the process to maintain theunique and vibrant business community along North Temple.