Placemaking Strategies to Strengthen Downtown

Working with University of Illinois College of Fine and Applied Arts, a process of using both demographic data analysis and community observations will be conducted as a pilot in preparation for a reoccurring studio workshop with Illinois Main Street communities.  From Mid-May – Mid-June students will conduct an assessment of community business development strategies,  utilizing customer intercept surveys or other techniques design to garner public opinion, demographic analysis, identification of 1-2 comparable community case studies,  develop a core set of recommendations for community consideration.  Final report will be presented to the local community Main Street Board on June 11.  

WHO:             Canton Main Street in partnership with University of Illinois Extension

WHAT:          Studio Workshop
WHEN:          Wednesday, June 11 at 10  a.m.
WHERE:        MidAmerica National Bank, 100 W. Elm St. Canton, IL 61520

 Illinois Main Street Program has as its mission the development and promotion of the unique character of each member community’s marketable assets and creation of new business development opportunities.  Maintaining and revitalizing a downtown plays a critical role in overall economic development strategies, as a vibrant downtown infrastructure not only represents good use of land and infrastructure resources, it can also be a powerful tool spurring new business development.

Canton Main Street is a pilot programming initiative of the University of Illinois Extension and Illinois Main Street.