Trailnet, the premier non-profit organization developing bike and pedestrian trails, saving green spaces and advocating alternative transportation across the St. Louis metropolitan area, has chosen the City of Columbia as recipient of the 2011 Active Living Award recognizing achievement by a municipality. The annual awards celebrate the individuals, nonprofits, municipalities, and businesses who are engaged in unique and sustainable efforts to incorporate physical activity into everyday living.
On September 20, Columbia will be recognized at the awards ceremony held at the Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $25 per person. Registrations can be made online through the Trailnet website.
Nominated by Scott Rodemich of Marketicity--formerly a member of the Play Commission--Trailnet recognizes Columbia's commitment to encouraging walking and biking. Despite the economic downturn and severely restricted revenues, Columbia's leaders continue to make investments in projects and planning that continues to build community momentum, such as:
- Construction of a new sidewalk along Temple, connecting Main St. with Parkview School and the city's largest park;
- Installation of fixed speed feedback signs at two key crosswalks on Main St.;
- Development and annual expansion of a School Travel Plan through the Safe Routes to School program;
- Updating the City's Open Space, Bike & Greenway Alignment Plan;
- Creating a Play Commission and winning recognition for two years in a row as the St. Louis region's solitary Playful City USA;
- Initiating a new master planning process for a 33.8 acre park in the Admiral Trost Development Subdivision
Monroe County once again led the pack of Southwestern Illinois counties in growth of revenues from tourism last year. The economic impact of tourism in Monroe County totalled $14.2 million, up 10.8 percent from the previous year--the second year in a row in which Monroe led the pack in percentage expansion of revenues.
The Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) has released numbers for the Southwestern Illinois tourism industry showing that visitors to the nine Southwestern Illinois counties generated nearly $907.3 million in local economic impact in 2010. Totals from each of the other counties, compiled by the U.S. Travel Association, included: Bond - $13.8 million, up 3.7 percent; Calhoun- $22.2 million, up 2.5 percent; Clinton - $37 million, up 2.4 percent; Jersey - $51.2 million, up 1.3 percent; Madison - $316.4 million, up 3.4 percent; Randolph - $29.4 million, up 9.4 percent; St. Clair - $408.6 million, up 6.9 percent; and Washington - $14.5 million, up 7.5 percent.
Nora Feuquay, staff for the Monroe County Economic Development Council (MCEDC), attributes the increase to the activities of tourism related groups in the county such as CLIFFTOP, the Monroe County History Museum, and the Peterstown House as well as the efforts of local municipalities in supporting their businesses and tourism activities. "Many of these groups are doing a great job promoting themselves via websites and social media," Feuquay observes.
The MCEDC Tourism Subcommittee also continues to work on getting tourism information on the county website while building a tourism theme for the county and, eventually, the region. What's next? Cooperation between the county and municipalities to support the new Monroe County Welcome Center will further enhance growth of tourism in the area.
