We need to all come together to help Alpena
Alpena, "The city that will not die" has not died but still has gone through a series of rebirths always related to use of area natural resources. Now city leaders and community organizations will need to find ways to resuscitate Alpena in an environment that requires more than plucking nature's abundance.
As a fairly new resident of Alpena I'm surprised that more is not being done to ensure future growth and prosperity.
Some long time residents feel the city is doing just fine. Other residents are deeply concerned that the overall population continues to decline, businesses struggle and fail and new businesses are not attracted. The worst problem: young people, who love Alpena, leave. They obtain a basic education here, and then look for a location that offers hope.
Most people in the area are aware the city has fallen on hard times; but what to do about it. Many small cities in America have been forced to face a similar situation. The successes and failures of these attempts can serve as training tools for Alpena.
Like most big problems there are many contributing smaller problems that, when properly resolved, take care of the major issue. A few of the contributing problems: the biggest employer in the city is seriously cutting staff, a major employer is in a battle with environmentalists, downtown businesses are not able to cope with the big retailers on the city outskirts and community organizations seem unable to influence the downward trends.
There are many agencies and organizations in Alpena attempting to do something. Each has a budget, local and state contacts as well as staff and an agenda. A genuine coming together of private and public efforts can make yet another Alpena rebirth possible. It all begins with combining resources to make a concerted effort.
Bob Lamb
Alpena
Facebook
MySpace
Digg
Stumble
Mixx
Fark
del.icio.us
LiveSpaces
|
amos57usa
|
|
|---|---|
|
11-01-09 7:22 AM
|
excell..It's you who wants to continue with 'business as usual'. Now submit a name for our new brothel that will make Alpena rich and hopefully stop you're whining.
|
|
ExcellTrinity
|
|
|
10-30-09 10:51 AM
|
jaxssp is right! Investments need to be made in Alpena. Even if it is something as small as a good steak. Everyone agrees that someone needs to listen to the people. City planning needs to be re-vamped. If you cannot change with the times and continue with business as usual, you will be stuck with the same old nothing, which is where Alpena is headed. For crying out loud...look at our beautiful lake and woods! How come we are becoming a slum?
|
|
amos57usa
|
|
|
10-30-09 8:43 AM
|
Im glad no one attacked me while claiming we should stick to the topic because that would be obtuse hyprocracy (excell). While brainstorming for a name for the brothel waterpark at the Grove I rejected "Sliding Hookers' for "Alpenis Inn". (Please enter your brothel name by Nov.3 for the $100 award.) There will be free parking for all 3 of the snowmobile tourists at the Inn.
|
|
jaxspp
|
|
|
10-29-09 12:57 PM
|
Unless someone invests in Alpena the city will remain what it is, a smelly little stinkhole. When your best hotel is a Holiday Inn and you can't get a decent steak anywhere in town (I mean a real steak, Google it for pictures) you will never draw tourists.
|
|
ExcellTrinity
|
|
|
10-28-09 1:04 PM
|
Also...I was accompanied by my relatives on sleds. They were from Florida. They spent their money in Posen too. Not one dime was spent in Alpena except to top off on fuel. They wanted to sled down town and eat at a restaurant they had their eyes on, but that was not possible. Needless to say we had a great time in Posen...along with several dozen other sledders.
|
|
ExcellTrinity
|
|
|
10-28-09 12:57 PM
|
Thanks surefoot! It has to be told...that our tourist dollars are being spent in other communities that neighbor us. Last year I LEGALLY drove right down town Posen on my sled and parked in the Pub parking lot and ate there. I had to! There was no place here where I could do that! Policing this activity is not hard. All laws pertaining to motorcycles apply. Make it easy and free and they WILL come. Instant economic boost!
|
|
Roland
|
|
|
10-28-09 10:37 AM
|
We should take the old Grove and turn it into a huge indoor water park area like Great Wolf and begin developementon the north end of town also...
|
|
amos57usa
|
|
|
10-28-09 7:57 AM
|
CNN,MSNBC and even Fox noise would fill our hotels and resturants for the grand opening of Michigan's only brothel and Alpena would be on the national news until money flowed from our ears. I have given you the solution that everyone knows would make Alpena rich and famous. You can address the solution or resort to petty personal attacks that solve nothing.
|
|
amos57usa
|
|
|
10-28-09 7:21 AM
|
excell..You bore false witness against me. I am not a hater. I agreed with your jet ski,snowmoble and sledding hill proposals and included the one fun business that would attract more tourists and bring more jobs than all your proposals combined. Water and snow stuff is available in hilly locations all over the state. A legal brothel would be a monopoly. The issue is jobs which I addressed. The Chrislicans are the reason we will not shoot to the top as a tourist destination but they don't want to face that reality. Tourists dont go to Parump,Nevada to ride a snowmobile and the sliding doesn't require a large hill. Be not afraid but be bold and prosper or loose.
|
|
surefoot
|
|
|
10-27-09 11:41 PM
|
Excelltrinity was making a few good points about winter activys why not open a few ways into the city on snowmobiles (when there is snow). Policing may be a problem though.
|
|
ExcellTrinity
|
|
|
10-27-09 1:54 PM
|
Amos...Why? Why be a hater? What did I say that deserved the Brothel comment? Just address the issues at hand for once. It's so much less divisive. This is a serious topic.
|
|
twizhill
|
|
|
10-27-09 1:41 PM
|
We need new ideas at the city council level. After learning about the candidates it seems to me that Richard Anderson is a good choice. He is very business friendly and really understands the need to court businesses in order to bring jobs to the area. This town needs someone who will help us keep our kids here, is willing to work with area agencies and current businesses to help bring about some positive outcomes that can breathe some new life into our aging city. My kids love it here, but will be forced to leave in order to find the opportunities that they could potentially find here. A vote for Richard Anderson is a vote for the youth of Alpena.
|
|
HuronHippie
|
|
|
10-26-09 7:44 PM
|
Great letter, Mr. Lamb. I am a small business owner in Alpena who is stuggling, and I am deeply concerned about the economic direction of the town. If we continue to depend solely upon the mining of our natural resources (aka cement), and nothing else, we will be toast. I am grateful for the business I receive from the government - the military base and the coast guard, but it is not enough. We have an environment and an excellent standard of living that has a lot to offer. What we need is a company or several to move into the area that offer good high tech jobs with great salaries that will tempt our young people to stay in the area. We need white collar jobs, engineering and high tech, even green jobs, as well as blue collar jobs. Not sure how we get there or if we even have the connections and incentives to attract these businesses. But if we don't get them we will die. These business incubators won't be enough.
|
|
amos57usa
|
|
|
10-26-09 7:12 AM
|
Excell is right. We should open a legal brothel on the airport road with snowmoble access. That would be a clean, quiet business with enough revenue to cancel property taxes while rebuilding schools and Starlight beach. Dig a big lake there for jet ski rentals and use the sand for a sleding hill. Perfect!
|
|
Mudlake
|
|
|
10-24-09 8:56 AM
|
ExcellTrinity: Great ideas, this is the kind of brainstorming the city needs from everybody. There is much more that could be done it just requires the effort.
|
|
ExcellTrinity
|
|
|
10-23-09 10:53 PM
|
Why not convert the Bipath into a snowmobile path in winter so that sledders can ACCESS downtown businesses by parking their sleds in the parking lots. We get bypassed and other towns get our money. Let them sled down the shoulder of US 23 in town! It's no different than a motorcycle in summer. Quit disenfranchising tourists! Hard times call for common sense measures.
|
|
ExcellTrinity
|
|
|
10-23-09 10:47 PM
|
We're gonna have to make some decisions real soon. Too much is directed toward City functions and not our natural resources and beauty. People don't travel here to see the City. They come here for our natural resources. I'm sorry, but we're gonna have to do better than a bipath! Shipwreck tours are a start. A huge sledding hill in winter. Jet ski rentals. Snowmobile rentals...in town!
|
|
ExcellTrinity
|
|
|
10-23-09 10:41 PM
|
Yup! Kids roam the streets at all hours of the night and we're building new crappers at starlight beach. There is nothing here for them so they leave. But the bars on every street corner are such good role models for them. Not! City band wants a millage. Not! Schools want a millage. Where does it end?
|