Residents Weigh-in on Legacy Fund Projects
By: Robert Bumsted
Updated: October 31, 2012
Fort Wayne officials say they're ready to spend the city's legacy fund. Tuesday night, the mayor's office presented a list of ways they want to use the $75 million sum.
Two years ago, the city began soliciting residents for their input on how the money should be used. Since then, the mayor's office has narrowed down nearly one thousand submissions into a ten point plan.
The plan includes development of the downtown riverfront, an opportunity fund for downtown projects, beautification of downtown railroad overpasses, a new traffic circle on Ewing Street, beautifying the city's 'gateways,' finding ways to attract more youth sports events, upgrades to the McMillen Park Community Center and a number of endowments that would benefit education and local entrepreneurial endeavors.
"I thought maybe they would clean up our streets, make new sidewalks... lighting," says Jane Hause, a lifelong resident of Fort Wayne's Northwest side.
Hause said she was surprised when she saw the projects, wishing the money would be spent on projects that impacted a larger swath of the city.
"They concentrate so much on Downtown that they forget once you get off I-69 you've got four miles to go downtown," says Hause.
On the East side of town, homeowner Kim Kaiser agrees the money should be spent on the city's neighborhoods, but says she likes the projects that will spur economic growth from visitors.
"I think any time you can bring people to Fort Wayne so we can get the revenue from it and make it a more popular place, that is the best idea."
City officials say the projects that were proposed this week do not represent all of the money available. The City Council must approve them before the money can be spent.
Two years ago, the city began soliciting residents for their input on how the money should be used. Since then, the mayor's office has narrowed down nearly one thousand submissions into a ten point plan.
The plan includes development of the downtown riverfront, an opportunity fund for downtown projects, beautification of downtown railroad overpasses, a new traffic circle on Ewing Street, beautifying the city's 'gateways,' finding ways to attract more youth sports events, upgrades to the McMillen Park Community Center and a number of endowments that would benefit education and local entrepreneurial endeavors.
"I thought maybe they would clean up our streets, make new sidewalks... lighting," says Jane Hause, a lifelong resident of Fort Wayne's Northwest side.
Hause said she was surprised when she saw the projects, wishing the money would be spent on projects that impacted a larger swath of the city.
"They concentrate so much on Downtown that they forget once you get off I-69 you've got four miles to go downtown," says Hause.
On the East side of town, homeowner Kim Kaiser agrees the money should be spent on the city's neighborhoods, but says she likes the projects that will spur economic growth from visitors.
"I think any time you can bring people to Fort Wayne so we can get the revenue from it and make it a more popular place, that is the best idea."
City officials say the projects that were proposed this week do not represent all of the money available. The City Council must approve them before the money can be spent.
