Willmar Blend is coming Thursday, August 13, 2009

Market, Dinner, and Concert. The Willmar Blend will consist of three segments:

• Becker Avenue Market operating from 3 to 6:30 PM, 2)
• Dining al fresco from 5:30 to 7 PM in the tented parking lot at 414 Becker Avenue SW and 3) with music by Margie Brunn (exclusive pianist for the NBA Utah Jazz).
• Entertainment at the Willmar Education Arts Center (WEAC) from 7:30 pm featuring the ROCKET CLUB with an acoustical concert - "twist on Americana music" and Esther Peterson on the violin.

Becker Market photos here.

Becker market 2009 Every Thursday: June 4th through September 24th 2009 3:00 PM – 6:30 PM
Becker Avenue between 4th and 5th Streets
Contact: Nancy Johnson or Beverly Dougherty (further information here)
Phone: 320 235-5978 or 320 214-7646 Application here

This is the preliminary concept for the new Becker Ave (western half).

A core group of volunteers from Willmar were looking for new ideas on how to improve the City. They completed an extensive application for the Minnesota Design Team to come and work with our community. The application was accepted and was decided the MDT would conduct two design charrettes in Willmar. The first to focus on the Willmar region and the second to focusing on downtown Willmar. Town meetings were very well attended with around 400 citizens participating. During the charrettes the community organizers were able to set up a design center in downtown Willmar, providing a place for meetings, walls to display images, and space for Board and committee meetings as well as informal gatherings. The Willmar Design Center became headquarters for MDT visits and for continued work.

 We have set many goals such as opening up Litchfield Avenue, planning a regional trail system, improving connections between places, creating an urban environment, and producing a downtown master plan.

 Our Board of Directors was formed from citizens with diverse backgrounds in city, county, state government, small and large business, and faith and non-profit organizations. One of our first decisions was to commission a downtown master plan due to high interest in this area from the MDT visits. Several committees invested multiple volunteer hours researching design ideas and financing options. And the work continues...