ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Business owners, residents and city officials gathered this week for a workshop aimed at gauging what kind of support the Broadway corridor needs from the city and from a nascent business association representing the area.
The meeting served as an interactive forum for local commercial operators to discuss challenges, outline long-term goals and explore municipal support programs for the commercial corridor.
The event was organized by the city of Rockford’s Economic Development Division, whose newly hired community engagement and development coordinator, Megan McBride, said the meeting was designed to be a listening session rather than a presentation. “It will not be me talking at them. It’ll be very interactive,” McBride said ahead of the workshop, adding that the goal was to learn directly from businesses about their goals and challenges so the city and a future Broadway business association can figure out how to help.
“There have been a ton of pre existing effort for our Broadway Business Association. They’ve done a ton of great work,” McBride said. “This is just an opportunity to bring the businesses out, hear directly from them in terms of what they would like to see from the association as well as from the city.”…