Group works toward turning dreams into reality

On a warm summer day in Cape Girardeau, hundreds of visitors stroll along a scenic boardwalk on the banks of the Mississippi River, patronizing stores, restaurants and a new strip mall near the riverfront.

Rubber-wheeled trolley cars escort visitors from the French Quarter-themed downtown to other areas of the city. A pedestrian walkway runs above Water Street between Independence and Broadway, giving increased access to second-story businesses in the city's historic buildings.

It's the year 2025 in Cape Girardeau, via the imaginations of around 30 people who gathered Wednesday morning at the Convention & Visitors Bureau to dream big about developing the city's riverfront area.

The group, made up of city officials and representatives from the Corps of Engineers, Missouri Department of Transportation, various downtown organizations and community members, met as part of Vision 2020, a subcommittee created to assist the city in improving the quality of living for local residents.

"Today, we have mentally created what we hope Cape Girardeau will look like 25 years from now, and it's going to be beautiful," said Jess Hopple, Vision 2020 chairman.

The group broke into five teams to develop ideas about the overall betterment of the riverfront -- everything from infrastructure and funding options to new construction -- and then shared the results with each other.

"There was a lot of enthusiasm here today, and I think we got a lot of great ideas," said Catherine Dunlap, executive director of Old Town Cape. "There's a lot of planning to do, but this gave us a good foundation to work from."

Members of the group tossed out a variety of suggestions on how to attract visitors to the area, including building a marina, train depot, a new park, an amphitheater and a water park.

Developing downtown

"We're trying to develop downtown Cape cosmetically and commercially," said Stan Stough, who is involved with Vision 2020. "To do that, we're bringing people with those types of ideas under the same roof to brainstorm."

According to Stough, Vision 2020 is focusing its efforts on the riverfront between Emerson Bridge to Cape Rock Park.

The group's main concern is preserving the historic aspect of the downtown area, and keeping that theme consistent with new building projects.

"We're staying with a nostalgic theme," said Hopple. "Perhaps go with the French Quarter look, make it New Orleans north."

The group also discussed potential funding options, including state and federal grants and tax-increment financing.

"We have an opportunity to make a footprint for the future," said Hopple. "But it's not something that's going to happen overnight."

Vision 2020 has meetings scheduled through October 2004 with the next meeting taking place in June. For more information, contact Hopple at 335-3683.

cclark@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 128