BENTON HARBOR — The future of downtown Benton Harbor is whatever people make of it, and there’s no time like now to start the conversation about it.
A dozen people showed up Wednesday at the Benton Harbor Public Library for the first of three forums focused on downtown Benton Harbor, and what they wanted to see happening there.
kAm%@A:4D 2:C65 5FC:?8 E96 EH@\9@FC D6DD:@? C2?865 7C@> E96 :>A24E @7 86?EC:7:42E:@?[ E@ C@253=@4<D E92E ?6H 3FD:?6DD6D 7246[ 2?5 9@H E96 4:EJ 42? 2EEC24E >@C6 :?G6DE>6?E]k^Am
kAmyF58:?8 3J H92E 96 962C5[ E96 4:EJ H:== 6?5 FA H:E9 A=6?EJ @7 56E2:= 7@C :ED 5@H?E@H? 56G6=@A>6?E A=2?[ ssp !C6D:56?E #:49 w6?D6= D2:5 27E6CH2C5]k^Am
kAm“$@>6 @7 :E 4@?7:C>D E96 @E96C 4@>>F?:EJ 6?8286>6?E H6’G6 925 :? E96 =2DE >@?E9D[ H:E9 E96 >2DE6C A=2?[ 3FE H6’C6 86EE:?8 2 =@E >@C6 8C2?F=2C 56E2:= 23@FE E96 2C62 H6 C6AC6D6?E[” w6?D6= D2:5] ”%9:D :?7@C>2E:@? H:== 96=A FD 255C6DD H92E H6 42? :? E96 5@H?E@H? 56G6=@A>6?E A=2?]”k^Am
kAm%H@ >@C6 D6DD:@?D H:== 7@==@H[ 7C@> e\fib_ A]>] |@?52J 2E q6?E@? w2C3@C r:EJ w2==[ 2?5 %F6D52J 2E E96 =:3C2CJ]k^Am
kAm%9@D6 H9@ H2?E E@ H6:89 :? 7FCE96C 42? D6?5 2? 6>2:= E@ k2 9C67lQ>2:=E@i36?E@?92C3@C552o8>2:=]4@>Qm36?E@?92C3@C552o8>2:=]4@>k^2m]k^Am
kAm~?46 E96 7@CF>D HC2A FA[ E96 ?6IE E2D< H:== 36 E@ DF>>2C:K6 E96 4@>>6?ED[ 2?5 :?4@CA@C2E6 E96> :?E@ E96 5@H?E@H? 56G6=@A>6?E A=2?[ w6?D6= D2:5]k^Am
kAm“(6 ?665 E@ 7:?5 23@FE Sad[___[ E@ 9:C6 2 4@?DF=E2?E E@ 5@ :E] (6 H2?E E@ >2<6 FD6 @7 E96 C646?E 4@>>F?:EJ 6?8286>6?E H6’G6 925[ D@ :E 5@6D?’E 86E DE2=6[” w6?D6= D2:5] “%96C6’D 2 86?F:?6 4@?46C? E92E E96 >2DE6C A=2?’D AFE E@86E96C – ?@H H92En %9:D :D E96 ‘?@H H92E’ DE286]”k^Am
k9cmp? F?62D:=J 5C2H? =:?6k^9cm
kAmw6?D6= 2?5 |2C:2? %C:AA=6EE >@56C2E65 (65?6D52J’D D6DD:@?[ H9:49 7@4FD65 @? :56?E:7J:?8 A@E6?E:2= DEC6?8E9D[ @AA@CEF?:E:6D[ H62<?6DD6D 2?5 E9C62ED E@ 5@H?E@H? q6?E@? w2C3@C]k^Am
kAm%C:AA=6EE D6CG6D 2D E96 q6?E@? w2C3@C AC@8C2> 5:C64E@C :? E96 $49@@= @7 $@4:2= (@C<[ 2E (6DE6C? |:49:82? &?:G6CD:EJ’D $@FE9H6DE r2>AFD 2E {2<6 |:49:82? r@==686]k^Am
kAm|2;@C DEC6?8E9D 4:E65 3J A2CE:4:A2?ED :?4=F565 2446DD:3:=:EJ E@ H2E6C C6D@FC46D[ 2 5:G6CD6 32D6 @7 C6D:56?ED[ =2?5 2G2:=23:=:EJ 2?5 @AA@CEF?:E:6D E@ 56G6=@A>6?E]k^Am
kAmw@H6G6C[ E96 =:?6 36EH66? DEC6?8E9D 2?5 H62<?6DD6D[ @C @AA@CEF?:E:6D 2?5 E92E :D?’E 2=H2JD D@ 62D:=J 5C2H?[ A2CE:4:A2?ED BF:4<=J 28C665]k^Am
kAmu@C 6I2>A=6[ 86?EC:7:42E:@? 42? 4FE 3@E9 H2JD[ y62?6EE6 w@=E@? D2:5]k^Am
kAm“x7 E96C6’D E@@ >F49 @7 :E[ E96? :E’D 2 C62= H62<?6DD – E9@F89 D@>6 A=246D H:== D2J[ ‘%92E’D >256 :E DEC@?86C]’ x 5@?’E <?@H :7 H6’C6 E@E2==J @G6CH96=>65 H:E9 86?EC:7:42E:@? J6E[ 3FE :E’D D@>6E9:?8 H6 2== H@CCJ 23@FE 2 =@E[” D96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm%96 7=:A D:56 @7 E96 4@:? :D D66:?8 3F:=5:?8D :? E96 4:EJ’D 2CED 5:DEC:4E[ “@H?65 3J H92E x A6C46:G6 2D >F=E:\>:==:@?\5@==2C 4@>A2?:6D[ E92E 2C6?’E 36:?8 56G6=@A65[ 2?5 2C6?’E 2446DD:3=6 E@ =@42=D – E92E E96J D:E @?[ 7@C `_ J62CD[” D2:5 y2D@? v6@C86[ H9@ @H?D 2 D>2== 4@?DF=E:?8 3FD:?6DD]k^Am
kAm%H6?EJ\J62C C6D:56?E |:4926= s2DD6 D2:5 96’D D66? >2?J 6I2>A=6D 7:CDE92?5]k^Am
kAm“p =@E @7 E:>6D[ H96? x’> H2=<:?8 2C@F?5 >J ?6:893@C9@@5[ x’== D66 A6@A=6 =@@<:?8 :? H:?5@HD] %96J’== 2D< >6[ ‘w6J[ :D E9:D 3F:=5:?8 7@C C6?En’ p?5 x <:?5 @7 92G6 E@ D2J[ ‘v@@5 =F4<[’” 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm“x’> 8=25 J@F D2:5 E92E[” %C:AA=6EE C6DA@?565[ “3642FD6 E92E :D 2 7@C> @7 86?EC:7:42E:@? – E96 9@=5:?8 2?5 ?@?\56G6=@A:?8 @7 2DD6ED]”k^Am
k9cmpDA:C:?8 6?EC6AC6?6FCDk^9cm
kAm|2;@C H62<?6DD6D :56?E:7:65 (65?6D52J :?4=F565 9:89 E2I6D 2?5 FE:=:EJ 3:==D[ =24< @7 5:G6CD:EJ 2>@?8 3FD:?6DD6D[ =24< @7 DFAA@CE 7@C ?6H 3FD:?6DD @H?6CD[ 2?5 2? :?23:=:EJ E@ 42AEFC6 E@FC:DE 5@==2CD[ 2D w6?D6= ?@E65]k^Am
kAm“}:?6EJ A6C46?E @7 E96 >@?6J DA6?E @? G2C:@FD E9:?8D :? @FC 4@>>F?:EJ :D DA6?E @FED:56 @7 q6?E@? w2C3@C[” w6?D6= D2:5] “(6’C6 E2=<:?8 23@FE H6== @G6C S`__ >:==:@? @7 42D9 E92E’D 7=@H:?8 @FE @7 q6?E@? w2C3@C] xE’D 2? @AA@CEF?:EJ 7@C FD – :7 H6 92G6 E96 C:89E 3FD:?6DD6D]”k^Am
kAmqFE E9@D6 3FD:?6DD6D 2C6 =6DD =:<6=J E@ 92AA6?[ :7 2DA:C:?8 6?EC6AC6?6FCD 42?’E 86E E96 42A:E2= E96J ?665[ @C 72G@C23=6 E6C>D E@ 7:?2?46 2 3FD:?6DD[ A2CE:4:A2?ED 28C665]k^Am
kAmq@E9 :DDF6D 4@>6 FA 7C6BF6?E=J :? 4@?G6CD2E:@?D H:E9 4@?DE:EF6?ED[ q6?E@? w2C3@C u@FCE9 (2C5 r:EJ r@>>:DD:@?6C tE96= r=2C<\vC:77:? D2:5]k^Am
kAm“%96C6’D 2 =@E @7 J@F?8 q=24< 6?EC6AC6?6FCD E92E 92G6 4@>6 E@ >6[ E92E H2?E E@ 36 :? E96 u@FCE9 (2C5[ 3F:=5:?8] qFE H96? E96J C6249 @FE E@ E96 @H?6C[ E96J ECJ E@ 492C86 E96> E@@ >F49[” D96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmssp 3@2C5 >6>36C |:E496== #2336CD DF>>65 FA E96 :DDF6 :? 2 D:>A=6 BF6DE:@?i “xD 2?J@?6 2H2C6 @7 2 q=24<\@H?65 4C65:E F?:@?n”k^Am
kAm%C:AA=6EE ?66565 ;FDE @?6 H@C5 E@ 492C24E6C:K6 E96 D:EF2E:@?i 244@F?E23:=:EJ]k^Am
kAm“$@>6 @7 J@FC @AA@CEF?:E:6D >2J 36 96=5 FA[ 3642FD6 D@>6 @7 E96 3FD:?6DD6D J@F >2J 92G6 D6CG:4:?8 E9:D 2C62 4@?E:?F6 E@ AC24E:46 :? H2JD E92E 2C6 5:D4C:>:?2E@CJ[ @C 3:2D65[” D96 D2:5]k^Am
k9cm(C:E:?8 E96 ?6IE 492AE6Ck^9cm
kAmx? 4@?EC2DE[ @?6 :DDF6 5:5?’E DFC7246 2D 2 A@:?E @7 5:D4FDD:@? – 2?5 E92E’D E96 A@DD:3:=:EJ @7 A2:5 A2C<:?8 4@>:?8 E@ q6?E@? w2C3@C[ H9:49 92D 5C2H? >:I65 C6G:6HD]k^Am
kAmw6?D6= D2:5 E92E :DDF6 H:== =:<6=J 36 255C6DD65 2D A2CE @7 E96 FA52E:?8 @7 E96 >2DE6C A=2?[ “C2E96C E92? 2AAC@249:?8 :E 7C@> E96 ?682E:G6 G:6HA@:?E @7 DE@AA:?8 D@>6E9:?8]”k^Am
kAm“q2D:42==J[ J@F’== 36 =@@<:?8[ ‘(92E EJA6D @7 A2C<:?8 5@ H6 92G6[ H92E 5@ H6 H2?E[ 2?5 H92E H@F=5 E92E =@@< =:<6n’” 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm~G6C2==[ A2CE:4:A2?ED 7@F?5 E96 D6DD:@? AC@5F4E:G6 – =:<6 v6@C86[ H9@ 42>6 E@ q6?E@? w2C3@C `` J62CD 28@ H:E9 9:D H:76]k^Am
kAm“x E9@F89E E96C6 H2D 2 =@E @7 8@@5 :?7@C>2E:@? 6I492?865[ 2?5 x 9@A6 E92E D@>6E9:?8 D:8?:7:42?E 4@>6D @FE @7 :E[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAms2DD6 G@:465 2 D:>:=2C 766=:?8]k^Am
kAm“x’G6 D66? 2 =@E @7 E9:?8D 492?86 – x 42? C6>6>36C H96? E96 pCED r276 H2D E96 @?=J E9:?8 8@:?8 @? 5@H?E@H?] x E9:?< 2 =@E @7 8C62E :562D H6C6 6I492?865[” 96 D2:5]k^Am