The Big Events
if you want Eau Claire to build a major events facility, now’s the time to pay attention
V1 Staff |
Community-wide studies like Clear Vision and The Good Life recommended it. City leaders examined the feasibility of it. And all the while residents have been clamoring for it. Now it sounds as though the community has been heard, as a group comprised of leaders from UW-Eau Claire, Visit Eau Claire, and The State Theatre is now ready to explore making a large event facility happen in Eau Claire.
Two public discussions titled “Creating New Major Event Facilities in Eau Claire: A Clear Vision Community Forum” will take place on March 29 and April 25 in the community room at RCU’s headquarters in Phoenix Park. The first event on Thursday the 29th will be broadcast live on the local WPR affiliate 88.3fm WHWC at 7pm sharp. Anyone interested in attending the live event should show up by 6:45pm.
“The community’s readiness to partner on a multi-use event center arises from longstanding need, demonstrated by an analysis of Eau Claire’s current public facilities. Across the board they are aging, woefully inadequate, or both,” the Clear Vision report stated. This references the fact that our biggest facility, Zorn Arena, was built in 1951 when UWEC had 750 students. The next-in-line State Theatre was built in 1926 with 1,100 seats. Our meeting facilities are likewise smaller and older than other regional cities of comparable size.
“The community has identified a multi-use event center as its foremost investment priority,” the report concluded. So like any large-scale project, this one needs your input to make sure what we build, where we build, and why we build will satisfy the community’s collective vision for the next 50+ years. But to do that you need to show up, tell your friends, and make yourselves heard.
Volume One is active as a partner in this exploration. You can stop by VolumeOne.org/EventCenter to follow the community’s progress on the discussion, and add your own comments. The feedback received there will be incorporated into the official work of the committee.
