Press Release February 25, 2008
For more information contact:
Ellensburg Downtown Association 509-962-6246 info@ellensburgdowntown.org

 

Ellensburg’s Downtown Revitalization Efforts Nominated

Efforts to revitalize Downtown Ellensburg have been nominated for recognition.   Five Ellensburg Downtown Association projects and activities have been nominated for this year’s “Excellence in Downtown Revitalization Awards”.  The awards recognize outstanding achievements in six important areas of comprehensive downtown revitalization efforts.  Winning nominations will be announced during the Annual Downtown Revitalization Training Institute May 13-15 in Wenatchee. 

The following downtown Ellensburg projects and activities have been nominated.

The Ellensburg Downtown Association’s monthly business training workshop Brown Bag Business Basics, has been nominated in the “Best Economic Restructuring Success” category.  Brown Bag Business Basics is a monthly book review based business education series held in partnership with the Ellensburg Public Library and the Ellensburg Downtown Association.

Downtown Ellensburg’s two new bike racks designed, as functional art, were nominated as an “Outstanding Design Project”.  The two bike racks located at the corner of 5^th and Pine and at the intersection of 3^rd and Pearl, were commissioned by the Ellensburg Downtown Association, designed and manufactured by local artists, and funded through the City’s lodging tax fund. 

The Ellensburg Downtown Association’s first annual Festival of Trees has been nominated for “Outstanding Special Project”.  This week long holiday event culminated in an auction of 12 decorated Christmas Trees and a Teddy Bear Tea in the Trees tea party.  The event is one of the first major events hosted by the relatively new organization and was also their first fundraising event.

Maurice’s in downtown Ellensburg has been nominated as this year’s Business Success Story”.  This award recognizes a downtown business that has improved their business by actively working with a local revitalization group such as the Ellensburg Downtown Association.  Maurice’s manager is a volunteer with the association’s promotions committee and the store participated in several events last year including the Bite of the Burg Scavenger Hunt, Downtown Trick or Treat, and the Winter Wine and Cocoa Stroll. The store also expanded product lines, bringing in shoes and expanded size selection.  In addition the store underwent a significant remodel with new carpet, dressing rooms, and fixtures. 

The Ellensburg Downtown Associations use of social networking site myspace.com was nominated for recognition for “Outstanding Achievement in Promotions”.   The association created a myspace profile page for downtown to help promote downtown events and activities to the communities 20-something population many of whom are Students at CWU.  The association’s page www.myspace.com/ellensburgdowntown now has over 1000 “friends”, and businesses and event organizers are reporting more college students shopping downtown and attending events.