Published October 24, 2009

Editorial: Citizen input is needed on downtown chat

By West Central Tribune, West Central Tribune

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Ben C.
Willmar, MN     10/26/2009 1:24 PM

Downtown Willmar is owned by only a few people there lies the first problem, especially those owners who don't live in Willmar. The downtown needs to come together and decide what it wants to be. There was two groups at one point working on behalf of the downtown, one with a retail focus and the other with a focus on creating office space over retail, sad to say the later won, just look at the sign up near Home Depot about longtime downtown business Elmquist moving. It would be great if downtown would find a niche and expand on it. I believe the future lies in the multicultural presence and also the creation and expansion of dinning and evening event places. However, maybe Willmar is still too conservative to allow more places that have food and liquor, or heaven forbid a good sports bar or dance club.

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Jon T.
Willmar, MN     10/26/2009 7:10 AM

I also think consumer choice can't be ruled out. It's easy to blame big box stores, and Steve isn't inaccurate in his assessment of the Wal-Mart model, but how hard is it to make a left or right turn at Litchfield avenue? Really, convenience has dulled the sensibilities of consumers.

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cathy g.
Willmar, MN     10/26/2009 1:04 AM

Robert I disagree we can make downtown viable if the city would just out together a plan. New roads and apartments are a start, but entertainment will also go along way to bringing back the downtown area. We have the one theater, so adding another movie theater would be awesome. The city could redo the mall moving the stores they now have into this mall, which would be brand new. Lets face it we would need a considerable amount of money for a new downtown, but if things were done every year in the next ten years we would have a nice downtown area.

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Robert S.
Willmar, MN     10/25/2009 7:00 PM

Rick, you're on a 'roll'! Forgot about good ol' Tempo and Goldfines really put a "stake" in the heart of Downtown Willmar!

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Robert S.
Willmar, MN     10/25/2009 3:57 PM

Rick, you are right! First came the by-pass and then the Kandi Mall and then it was all down hill from there. Why didn't anyone care over all these years? It's too late to fix that situation and I don't want any of my tax dollars spent on that project!! I've lived here 57 yrs. and those are the facts! You are never going to bring back what once was! Also, Kris you are right on the money! Our infra-structure needs fixing, not the downtown!

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steve p.
Minneapolis, MN     10/25/2009 2:30 PM

Rick C, most downtowns in cities the size of Willmar were destroyed by malls and big box stores. This is not a local phenomena. It's NOT because of the bypass. The Kandi Mall opened about the same time as the bypass. Walmart got it start, in rural areas, wiping out mom & pop stores. There you go. Everything I just said are facts. Facts. OK, if you are bitter about losing the old days, let's go forward with a discussion based on the facts. That's the only way we can work toward the future we want. (Or, maybe that's too difficult for you and you'd just rather stay bitter, your choice.)

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Kris G.
New London, MN     10/25/2009 7:36 AM

How about adopting a loitering ordinance and actually enforcing it? Like it or not, I know people who will not go downtown and get out of their cars because of all of the people who hang out on the sidewalks, esp. those in groups, for fear of what may happen. Watch the records section and see where a lot of the beatings and stabbings are happening. It isn't all happening at the Double D club!

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joe r.
Willmar, MN     10/25/2009 12:54 AM

Steve you have a point. Dan the by-pass didn't help, and I was hoping to see some construction and plans put forward to change the look of Downtown Willmar. Some ideas would be to build a bigger road right through downtown with lights and trees lining the boulvard. Some new buildings could go up that would house new stores and you could move some exsisting stores into these new buildings, as well as new apartments, that are bigger and would house working couples.Then maybe a new threater for starters. The key to making downstown viable will be to make it attractive, and a place people would want to hang out in.

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steve p.
Minneapolis, MN     10/24/2009 11:16 PM

Wal Mart happened.

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Dan C.
Willmar, MN     10/24/2009 9:09 PM

Does anyone even go downtown? Does anyone shop there? For that matter, does anyone shop at the mall? Seems like most go to St. Cloud or the Cities. Willmar went downhill when the bypass ruined downtown, and the mall lost so many good stores. Willmar should be a big enough town to have a great downtown and a great mall. What the heck happened?

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