Part 3 of our Series.
We live in rural, small-town America. The population was 530 at the 2010 census. And now in November 2017, the population sign as you come into town reads “Population 487.” Bayfield is a destination location during the summer for tourists from around the country and the world.
Come mid to late October, the tourists are gone and many of the shops and lodging locations shutter their doors for the winter months. The hustle and bustle of the summer months are great for all who live and work here, and we’re also thankful for the peace and quiet of the winter months.
There are times during the winter months while driving downtown that the city appears to take on ghost town status. Parking along the main street is wide open, and businesses are shuttered. In times like these that I begin to ponder, ruminate and wonder what would happen if…?
Over these next 10 blog postings, I’m going to highlight random business properties in our town. The photos were randomly taken. There are new buildings, empty storefronts, and unimproved real-estate.
Lest you think all this small town has been closed or shuttered buildings, today let’s show you some unimproved prime real estate in downtown. This piece of property is one block off of the main street in town. This time of year, it sits empty, and at times snow filled. During our tourist season, the local Chamber of Commerce offers it as free parking to one and all who are in town. This is great as there are limited numbers of on-street parking spaces for all who come for a visit.
In March of 2017, a proposal was proffered to the city council, for the installation of parking meters in the downtown area. I wrote about the idea back then, stating that the suggestion needed extensive due diligence prior to having the residents compelled to accept such a proposal.
In talks with several local business people and residents, the matter of the parking meters has been met with a resounding NO! Further discussions have put forth ideas for an automated multi-story parking facility. This approach solves two issues for the city. One; it takes tourist and visitor parking off of the residential side streets and, Two; it provides an income stream to the city.
While there is a proposal in the city council, this empty piece of property and its potential remain in oblivion.