Downtown Eau Claire's Haymarket Landing concept.

Here we are – a new year. Always exciting stuff. As I look at the months ahead from a community standpoint, I can’t help but wonder: Could 2015 be a tipping point for downtown Eau Claire and the broader community? Last year was certainly a strong one for both cultural and economic development. Downtown EC opened major new apartment buildings, relocated the post office, launched a major new corporate office building, and more. Altoona made some serious progress on the River Prairie project. UW-Eau Claire opened a major new academic building and landed its first ever $10 million donation for a future event center. And of course, countywide we navigated the difficult waters of the Confluence vote. But with plenty of headlines waiting in the wings this year, the months ahead seem poised to significantly build on the momentum of those recently passed. In 2015 not one, but two downtown EC hotels are expected to come online. The bike trail system will see expansion in both Eau Claire and Altoona. River Prairie will get interesting as new businesses open their doors. Chippewa Falls will mount some big downtown redevelopment efforts. A major new music festival (and maybe two, stay tuned) will debut just outside town. Eau Claire will start construction on a new downtown parking structure and release a 10-year update of its Comprehensive Plan. And, while the Confluence Project’s multi-use building will begin to rise from the ground, we’ll finally find out if funding for the performance center half of the project will materialize as two things happen: One, the state budget is passed this summer, and two, local people (that means you) decides whether or not they’ll personally donate. So, big things on the horizon, and you have a stake in some of them. So I say, let’s make 2015 a tipping point.