Editorial: Renewing downtown

Published 4:00 pm Wednesday, December 2, 2009

It almost goes without saying that downtown Enterprise is Wallowa County’s biggest renewal project.

Just look: of the entire downtown district, 22 storefronts are obviously vacant. That doesn’t count spaces that can’t be seen from the street.

We’ve lost the county’s biggest auto dealer and too many smaller retailers. The reasons are varied and not just a result of the global economic downturn.

Where once was a typically busy shopping district, today the number of parked cars most days can be counted on both hands. It would be a miracle to hit another car by running a downtown stop sign.

Those downtown businesses that have toughed it out deserve not only residents’ patronage but their applause. Unfortunately, human nature usually leads us to more attractive commercial environments, and the existing businesses suffer as a result.

Revitalization of downtown Enterprise is exceedingly overdue, and we’re pleased to see the city step up in an attempt to get things going. But it’s going to take a lot more to finish the job.

Downtown merchants have to organize together to get things moving. If not, nobody will do it.

At a community meeting organized by the city last week, 40 residents agreed to tackle recommendations from an Oregon Main Street consultant: Use community events to downtown’s advantage, define a downtown identity and strengthen existing businesses and identify new opportunities.

We are eager to see the results of their work.

Meanwhile, we need to make it a point to shop downtown for the long-term advantage of our community, even if it costs a dollar or two more than going elsewhere.

Is it really worth it, considering the time and cost of travel, to buy furniture or someone’s anniversary gift in La Grande, Walla Walla or Lewiston?