AG 2011 10 17 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners 65 Church Street, SE Concord, North Carolina 28025 Re: Rotary Square — Corner Lot of Union Street South and Corban Avenue Description: Multi -use pedestrian courtyard or urban square with a water feature in which children may play. It will only operate when activated and only during designated hours during the summer months. Uses: Farmer's Market, Art Exhibits, Puppet shows, Library Readings, Small Outdoor Plays, small musical performances, craft shows, an extension and added feature of the existing greenway, to name a few. Benefits: • Lifestyle: Needed urban, outdoor, open -space in downtown area. Many other towns have similar spaces and are well received ... why not us? Feel free to see our many pictures with examples in other cities. It would also tie into existing greenway and its purpose also. • Economic: Goes with the County promotion to buy local — provides a market for locally grown produce and locally made crafts and goods to be sold. More people downtown also helps the local stores. The pedestrian courtyard would be an additional draw to help our county seat be more of a destination for people to shop, eat and play. We are lucky to have such a vibrant county seat; we must cultivate it and innovate. • Cultural: Have you been to an outdoor farmers' markets or craft /art show lately? We have the appetite and the culture. We just need the place. Outdoor space for musicians and performers. • Health /Social: WIC food assistance program can be used by Piedmont Farmers' Market to provide local grown healthy food in a place that is underserved in that category. Provides and promotes healthier lifestyles for people when they have a place to buy local grown healthy foods. • Convenience: (Think big .... it can happen) county and city employees, attorneys, and business people that work downtown could go to the market for fresh food on the way home, or take a lunch break at "Rotary Square" and eat local grown, healthy, fresh food with their pre -paid market cards while listening to a guitarist play or look at the local high school's sculpting class' art exhibit on display that week while a mom wonders up from the greenway with the kids and lets them splash around in the fountain for a little while. That's a good lunch break. Concerns that are being addressed: Maintenance — County would retain property and upkeep except for 'dancing fountain' Time - Assurance that use for land remains as Rotary Square for and agreeable time considering capital being raised by the community for project. Parking — Although a good problem to have in a commercial district, we are being sensitive to concerns. Attachment number 2 G -4 Page 119