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Downtown Lake Geneva is now an accredited Main Street, which includes many benefits for businesses, locals, and visitors alike.
Main Street America is a network of communities that work to revitalize historic downtowns and commercial districts. The Main Street approach encourages economic development while preserving historic features.
The Downtown Lake Geneva BID (Business Improvement District) is committed to making downtown Lake Geneva a safe, beautiful, and enjoyable place for everyone. The BID seeks volunteers to help with marketing, event planning, beautification, and civic advocacy. Downtown Lake Geneva is the heart of the community. It has a rich history and hosts many exciting events and activities. The BID’s goal is to create a vibrant downtown with unique shops and restaurants.
Accredited Main Street communities benefit from economic growth, a stronger community, and a more positive image. Economic benefits include increased revenue, higher gross receipts, and property values. Stronger tax base, and more money to support schools and parks. More jobs, increased employment opportunities. Community benefits include a stronger community, a sense of pride, and investment in the community. Better relations, and improved communication between local government and private businesses. Increased volunteerism, more people volunteering for the city.
Organizational benefits include stronger networks and better connections between civic and economic organizations. Better services, improved services available to the community. Positive image, a better perception of the downtown and community.
Last week members from the Main Street organization attended the monthly BID meeting to see how things are run and done in Lake Geneva. Then they offer feedback on what can be done to be more efficient and discuss other programs the organization offers. This includes training, grants, and more.
We look forward to the changes that being an accredited Main Street will bring to downtown LakeGeneva.
Is Lake Geneva going to support its churches and its churchgoers?
Parking passes were issued to the churches located in downtown Lake Geneva months ago, approved by the city council. That was until Lake Geneva’s ‘Elvira’ parking lady decided to go after the churchgoers who were issued those passes to allow them to attend Sun- day services more conveniently (not to mention that the morning times on Sundays don’t exactly have the streets packed with cars looking for parking spots).
Well, one parish priest called the publisher of the Geneva Shore Report. He was outraged. The parking woman had told him that the people living in Walworth County as church parishioners were in such financially secure positions and all, that they could certainly afford to pay for parking like everyone else. She also verbally doubted that the priest was giving her honest and complete data.
Astounding?
Well, the GSR thinks so and the mayor thought so too when he was apprised of who the priest was. The GSR will not publish the priest’s name and although he remains angry, there is certainly every likelihood that he would hear the parking manager’s confession should she see fit to admit anything at all about what happened and also how she is running that department.
