On Monday evening, Small Business Coordinator Amber Martin Community introduced the Community Recreation Area to the Community and Economic Development Committee and community members.
Precious Grandi | Lima News
LIMA – The city of Lima is undergoing new development. A new community recreation area may soon be coming to the area. The Community and Economic Development Committee met Monday night to discuss the project.
Lima City Proposed Constituency. According to Workforce and Small Business Development Coordinator Amber Martin, a CED is defined as a boundary area that includes a combination of entertainment, retail, education, sports, culture, or the arts that is close to shopping centers, restaurants, and more.
“CED is a tool for economic development,” Martin said. “It really provides a boundary for specific entertainment areas, including retail, arts, sporting events, theatre, performing arts and movies. All kinds of things can improve our quality of life and add vitality to our downtown.”
According to Martin, the district will include the north and south ends of Main Street, Grand Avenue to the north and Fourth Street to the south that extends downtown.
“We wanted to provide a larger entertaining area,” Martin added. “We’ve heard from owners who have purchased properties on South Main that are interested in developing. We have a good number of properties in the area for rent and for sale.”
If approved by the Council, the CED will expand the ability of businesses (to that extent) to obtain a D5-J liquor license. Martin said the license was a full beer, wine and spirits licence.
Community members, including Marc Bowker, weigh in on future developments.
“I just want to ask people who are congregating to think about shopping at retail,” Bowker said. “I know it’s part of the bigger picture, but there’s a lot of talk about liquor licenses and ‘bartenders.’ What’s really missing in downtown Lima It’s shopping.”
The next step for the district is to submit it to the Lima City Council for official approval.
“Right now we’re in the discussion phase,” Martin said. “Our next step is to apply to the mayor of Lima. From there, the mayor will lead our council members and then the council will consider it. There will be a public comment period and then we will move forward from there .”
For more information, please contact the Workforce and Small Business Development Coordinator at 419-223-7281.
Call Precious Grundy at 567-242-0351.
