Economic Development Alliance accepted into Connect Communities program
By Tracy Ouellette
Editor
The East Troy Economic Development Alliance was recently accepted into the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation’s Connect Communities program.
The program provides access to resources and training to help downtown organizations pursue revitalization and redevelopment efforts. Since the program was launched in January 2014, participating communities have reported adding 175 net new businesses and more than 500 jobs, as well as $30 million in private investment, according to a press release from WEDC.
“It’s a first step,” ETEDA board secretary Linda Kaplan said. “It’s part of the Main Street program and gives us access to resources we wouldn’t otherwise have.”
Kaplan and Mary Nicoson, ETEDA board treasurer, recently attended a Connect Communities training session to learn about what opportunities are available.
“My main purpose in going was to make connections,” Nicoson said. “We’re all volunteers out here and to have the ability to connect with professionals and get advice on how to move forward was my goal.”
Kaplan agreed, citing a message board used by the program to give members a place to share ideas and ask questions about specific issues and how it would assist them as they moved forward with their plans for the village square and area businesses.
Nicoson and Kaplan this is one of the first steps in possibly creating a downtown business association in the village, which has been under discussion.
“The problem is we’re all volunteers,” Kaplan said. “And we don’t have enough people to help.”
While there have been strides in revitalizing the village square from local business owners, Kaplan and Nicoson would like to see more community members step up and assume some leadership roles in the effort to expand on that.
“I think we’re a small town with a lot of heart,” Nicoson said. “We’ve had some great shots in the arm over the last five years and we need to capitalize on our existing assets.”
Anyone interested in learning more about the program or volunteering their time should go to the East Troy Economic Development Alliance’s website at easttroybusiness.com.
About the program
Connect Communities is designed to support and complement the Wisconsin Main Street Program, which has supported projects statewide resulting in the creation of more than 3,100 net new businesses and 7,200 net new jobs since the program’s inception in 1987.
Under the program, applicants had to explain the type of activities or assistance that they hope to undertake as part of the program, and identify a local team that will be responsible for carrying out activities and participating in program events and training.
The Walworth County Economic Development Alliance was also accepted into the program at the same time ETEDA was. Kaplan said they will be working with WCEDA closely in the program and elsewhere.
