A list of goals to improve the look of downtown Knox was presented to the city council by Council President Jeff Berg at their recent work session. According to Berg, the list consists of several basic goals that can be easily attained and most of them can be performed by the city at little cost.
The list of community goals included items as simple as replacing old fire hydrants, bracketing Heaton Street light poles for future flag and banner use, and resurfacing the Wythogan Park basketball court, which Berg says is in dire need of repair. The estimated cost of this project has been projected to approximately $31,000, and no decision has been made as to where that money will come from.
Berg also recently contacted the mayor of Kendallville, Suzanne Handshoe, whose city recently made the decision to renovate their downtown area. Handshoe told Berg that improving their downtown was one of the best decisions they’ve made, and it has re-energized the community to work together to make their downtown a destination.
Berg says that this restoration project is more than simply revitalization; it is a strategy using market analysis and other techniques to encourage businesses to come to Knox. Councilman Greg Matt suggested sending letters to business and downtown property owners to give them an idea of what the committee would like to accomplish, and a meeting with local businesses is likely to take place in the near future.
