Trying to build on the enthusiasm generated by last week’s meeting to discuss downtown Knox, the Knox City Council will hear from Candice Bernier, a Downtown Planning Project Coordinator for the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns, who will be at tonight’s Knox City Council meeting.
Last week, Gene Blastic from the Starke County Economic Development Foundation and Mayor Rick Chambers co-hosted a meeting to discuss the downtown, in light of the Development Foundation’s announcement that it will be doing something with its building at the corner of Lake and Main. That might mean tearing the building down, or rehabbing it.
Blastic, who was one of the people who worked hard in improving Bass Lake, was given the task by the Foundation of promoting a dialogue with the city officials and building owners in the downtown. Blastic was reminded that it wasn’t so long ago the Bass Lake “took off” with remodeling and tearing down homes around the lake. That spurred some new building, and a renewed pride by the owners.
“I don’t know that I’ve done so much out there, but the community has done a lot out there,” said Blastic. “The community has come together at Bass Lake in a lot of different ways and it shows.”
Blastic acknowledged that the sewer project really opened Bass Lake up for improvement.
“People are taking care of their properties, they’re upgrading, and I think the Conservancy District is doing a very good job of administering their duties, the Property Owners Association including people and things are going on. In fact, they’re remodeling the Property Owners building so that we’ll have more modern space to conduct our activities and have it to rent. They’re doing a good job out there pulling it together and the people are really helping with that.”
Blastic, who at one time was in the construction business in Michigan, said he’s having fun helping the folks in Knox dream of a better downtown.
“I’m enjoying this and I’m just hoping that we can continue and build some enthusiasm for what the ultimate goal is and that’s a good vision of what we’d like to have downtown.”
