Leadership projects

Since 1985, participants in the Leadership Cape Girardeau classes each year have presented project ideas developed during the seven-month program that provides information about city operations and needs.

This year's class presented five project proposals at a recent First Friday Coffee sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce, and four of them were specifically targeted to the downtown area.

One was a locator kiosk to give downtown visitors directions and point them to nearby attractions. One was placing a riverboat on land in the downtown area to be used as a large banquet facility and offices. One was a downtown farmers market. And one was a wine walk featuring products of area vineyards that would bring participants into shops and raise money for the Discovery Playhouse Children's Museum.

The fifth project proposal was for a playground equipped for children with disabilities. While some of the city's parks have some equipment geared to disabled children, the proposed park would be built specifically with special needs in mind.

Over the years, many of the proposed projects have, in one form or another, turned into great additions to the community. This year's ideas hold plenty of promise.