Leadership Cape teams present community improvement projects

An ice rink and volleyball court at Osage Centre, electronic warning sirens, a riverfront boardwalk, renovation of the Broadway Theater and a speakers bureau were ideas for enhancing the community conceived by this year's class of Leadership Cape.

The professional development program holds monthly daylong workshops from January to July. Five group projects from the class of 29 participants this year were presented at the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce First Friday Coffee, held at the Plaza by Ray's, 3257 William St.

Team Family Fun shared a proposal for a 60-feet-by-120-feet pavilion containing a combination sand volleyball court and ice rink for the Osage Centre. The plan included a seating area with a fire pit for visitors, designed to be welcoming and comfortable for families. The project would be paid for through a lease with Rink Management Services Corp. of Mechanicsville, Va., at a cost of $109,500 per year.

The Resourceful Timberwolves team proposed an "Adopt-A-Siren" campaign to bring electronic, voice-commanded siren systems to population-dense areas of the city. Compared to traditional mechanical sirens, the electronic warning systems would have the capability to issue specific alert messages and updates, including all-clear signals, in emergencies such as tornadoes, floods, train derailments, chemical spills, active-shooter scenarios and terrorist attacks.

The Sharphins, a team name based on a mythological creature that is a cross between a shark and a dolphin, presented the idea of a wooden riverfront boardwalk on the river side of the levee wall from downtown to the Isle Casino Cape Girardeau. The walk would include local sports hall of fame attractions along its length and cost approximately $1.2 million, which group members hoped to gather through corporate sponsorships and donations.

WIPRATS, a name formed from the first letters of each team member's name, proposed rehabilitating the Broadway Theater to create a cabaret-style venue that would seat about 700. A complete rehabilitation cost analysis of the proposal was not completed by the group. Ideas for funding included using contributions, appropriations from local and state governments, grants, tax credits and special-event fundraising.

One project, already created and executed at no cost to the public, was a speaker's bureau by team Community Connectors. More than 150 people have registered to be available to present information on a range of topics and most offer their expertise at no charge. To join the bureau or access the searchable database of speakers, visit semissourian.com/speakers. It is free to register and use the database.

Leadership Cape is "designed to identify and motivate emerging leaders and to develop their potential for community leadership roles by exposing them to the opportunities, realities and challenges of our community," according to program materials. Participants are not required to be members of the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce. Past projects resulted in the development of Discovery Playhouse, Cape Splash and semoevents.com.

Those interested in applying for Leadership Cape may call 335-3312, visit capechamber.com or email info@capechamber.com and ask to be added to the list of prospective participants. Applications will be available in October for the 2014 class.

Contact information for the project teams are Team Family Fun, Isaac Venable, 335-3316 or Tina McRaven, 331-8507; Resourceful Timberwolves, Cape Girardeau Fire Department battalion chief Mark Starnes, 339-6792; Sharphins, Ryan Gibson, 331-2757; WIPRATS, Alyssa Lage, 335-1631; and Community Connectors, Lucas Presson, 388-3649.

salderman@semissourian.com

388-3646

Pertinent address:

3257 William St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.