Downtown Partners members put themselves in visitors’ shoes
Posted on Sunday, July 16, 2006
Fayetteville Downtown Partners board members became character actors Saturday as the organization brainstormed projects needed in the coming months.
More than 20 board members, ex officio members and staff gathered in an office overlooking Dickson Street for the six-hour retreat. Discussion reviewed the past year’s activities and a city alderman’s perspective toward Downtown Partners, but participants devoted much of the time to figuring out how various groups might perceive the downtown experience in Fayetteville.
“ It’s important to get outside of yourself and what you do every day, and to keep in mind the thoughts of someone else, ” said Dan White, who facilitated the session.
White split the meeting into five groups to represent different factions who visit downtown. Sections represented Fayetteville devotees, visitors from Benton County, students and young adults, out-of-town visitors, and families who live on the outskirts of the city.
Each group had an hour to walk to a downtown restaurant, where they assumed the identities of their assigned groups and listed the attractions and challenges that applied to them.
Those lists will be compiled and distributed in the coming days to the board members, but some common themes stood out Saturday. Most groups identified parking as an issue, as well as an almost complete lack of signage and wayfinding tools. Groups also listed a lack of family entertainment, few if any male-oriented or general shops, limited music venues and no pocket parks.
The retreat began Saturday morning with an orientation for new board members, followed by a year in review.
The latter segment detailed the various steps that have severed any ties Downtown Partners once had with Downtown / Dickson Enhancement Project. In addition to an official name change, the board recruited 16 new members and eight new ex officio organizations, adopted new bylaws, and created a 2006 strategic plan and threeyear goals.
City Alderman Don Marr, also a Downtown Partners ex officio member, took a few moments to discuss how the organization might better display its activities to the City Council, which in 2005 agreed to help fund to Downtown Partners for three years.
The parties currently are in the second year of the contract, and Marr suggested Downtown Partners do more to educate the public on its actions, in addition to presenting to the city council the thoughts of its constituents on downtown issues when those constituents might not be able to attend the appropriate council meeting.
“ I think this group has a challenge on what it is you really do, ” he said. “ The City Council sees it as a contract for services, not necessarily a contract to accomplish a vision. ”
Board member Jill Anthes told Marr that Downtown Partners is unable currently to take sides on issues because it lacks city codes regarding downtown on which to base a stance.
Board member Jeff Collins suggested the organization produce research documents to issue city aldermen when they’re considering proposals that would affect downtown.
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