News & Events
Five Downtown Improvement Meetings December
City Meetings December
Citizens Weigh In December
Input Meetings December
Kudos Editorial December
Willmar Area Arts Council Mug Auction at 414 Becker Ave Thursday, September 29 at 5:30 pm. Funds raised split among Willmar Design Center, the artists and Willmar Area Arts Council.
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| Ron |
Adams |
Willmar |
Rich Man - Beggar Man |
| Marianne |
Brenckman |
Willmar |
Now, She Wants Cream! |
| Donna Jean |
Carver |
Willmar |
Jive Joe Java |
| Willis |
Chase |
Grove City |
Old Man Java |
| Jason |
Dougherty |
Willmar |
Caffeinated |
| Loretta |
Fenske |
Spicer |
Panzimania |
| Carol |
Gustavson |
Grove City |
Shishi |
| F. Xavier |
Hall |
Willmar |
Some Word Smiths, Jazz & Blues |
| JJ |
Hernandez |
Willmar/Minneapolis |
Infidel |
| Karen |
Kosmas |
Spicer |
Acupostuff |
| Karla |
Minnick |
Grove City |
Hot Tea |
| Ibrahim |
Mohamed |
Willmar |
Miskeen |
| Kathy |
Munsell and |
|
|
| Jorden |
Nelson |
Spicer |
A Scandinavian Blend |
| Art |
Norby |
New London |
Anytime is coffee time |
| Paola |
Pena |
Willmar |
Roots |
| Cristy |
Rieland |
Willmar |
Our Friendship is Coffee-licious |
| Shalese |
Sands |
Willmar |
Generations |
| Monica |
Villars |
Willmar |
Jazzy Java |
| Laura |
Welle |
Willmar |
The World Cup |
Son Del Sur in Concert at WEAC Tuesday Oct 6 at 7pm, reception at 6pm Purchase tickets here
Willmar Design Center Budget
WC Tribune Article: Design Center to host dinner Thursday to reflect on its successes of the past five years
WC Tribune Article: Talk of a parking ramp for downtown Willmar has been shelved, at least for now. Instead, the discussion has turned toward the overall parking needs of the city’s central business district and nearby neighborhoods. read more
Community Foundation awards more than $44K in grants
Published June 07, 2011 By: Tribune News, West Central Tribune
City will observe Bike to Work Day later this week
Publishd June 06, 2011 By: Anne Polta, West Central Tribune
Becker Market scheduled to open for the season Thursday
Published June 01, 2011 By: TJ Jerke, West Central Tribune
FREE showing of “Growing Health” (flyer)
Willmar Design Center’s Becker Market and the Willmar Community-Owned Grocery Organizing Board is offering a free showing of “Growing Health”, a documentary by film producer Chris Bedford of Montague, Michigan on Friday, April 29. Bedford will be present to facilitate an educational discussion following the 26-minute film.
Tribune Article: Organizers of a community-owned grocery store in downtown Willmar didn’t get a $10,000 grant they sought from the Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission to help move the project forward. The group’s request was turned down Thursday by the EDC joint operating board after board members ex-pressed reservations about funding a for-profit entity. read more
Historic Preservation Tues March 29, 2011 at 2 Downtown Locations
Option 1: 7:30 am (download PDF)
WDC Celebrates Five Years: 5-Year Review
Board Member annual planning session Jan 2011
 click here for more photos
Holidaze 2010
 click here for more photos
Block Party 2010
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Willmar Blend 2009
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Becker Market 6-11-2009
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Holidaze 2008, downtown Willmar
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Holidaze Activities and Parade 2006,
downtown Willmar
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Holidaze Parade 2005,
downtown Willmar, MN
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Becker
Market June, 2006
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for more photos
Accomplishments of the Willmar Design Center 1-1-2010
Design Center works on Becker Avenue plaza concept
(featured in the West Central Tribune)
2009 2nd Annual Willmar Blend planning in process: Save the Date August 13, 2009. Change of location! Dinner Al Fresco in 414 Becker Parking Lot, Street Fair and Becker Market combo. Watch for debut of art collection!
Spring 2009: Watch for new spring planting at Selvig Park, a joint effort between the City of WIllmar and the Willmar Design Center. Volunteers needed!
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
Design Center seeks ideas for sprucing up the city’s downtown hanging baskets by David Little WC Trib 3-3-08
Landscape architect’s vision for Becker Avenue is a place with multiple uses, lined with vegetation and color By David Little, WC Tribune
Support grows for use of sales tax to pay for parking ramp to serve hospital, business area By David Little , WC Tribune
Downtown mural featured during upcoming art festival By David Little WC Trib 9-6-07
Public Meeting at the Firehall on Tuesday, October 30th, 4:00 - 6:00 PM, when the City, County and School District will ask for public comment about plans that affect all entities. As the Design Center, we should encourage public attendance that will affect the future of the entire area.
Willmar Design Center names Minneapolis architect as its newest urban designer by David
Little, West Central Tribune
Becker Market officially opened for 2007 by David
Little, West Central Tribune
State architecture magazine
to feature Willmar as ‘livable
city’; Willmar only small city featured David
Little West Central Tribune 5/4/07
Design Center board hears fundraising tips by David
Little West Central Tribune 3/8/07
W D C
sets goals for this year; focus-restoring Litchfield
Ave. WC Trib Feb 1, 2007
by David Little
Design Center’s
goals for next year begin with public awareness By
David Little 12/14/06
The W D C envisions some big projects
to reinvigorate the downtown area. by David Little WC Tribune 12/11/06
Visioneer’ fulfills
Design Center’s goal of developing a downtown master
plan By
David Little WC Trib 11/09/06
Promoters, vendors praise
first season of Downtown Willmar Becker Market By
David Little WC Trib 10/17/06
Holidaze events and
parade pushed back to Nov. 18 By
David Little WC Trib 10/12/06
Becker Market
continues indoors monthly By
David Little WC Trib 10/11/06
Holidaze
Parade set for November 18, 2006
Loans
will aid downtown property beautification By
David Little, WC Tribune 8/9/06
City
Council OKs placing restroom direction signs downtown WC Tribune
7/19/06
Design
Center asks City to sponsor grant application WC
Tribune 7/12/06
Becker
Market is averaging 30-40 vendors WC Tribune
7/7/06
June
Design Center highlights (100 kb pdf
file)
Flowers and banners
used to beautify downtown Willmar June 29, 06, Tribune
Master
Plan, June meeting (56kb pdf file)
Downtown Master Plan Process
Select Design Working Group............................................................................
June
Host two Design Sessions ...........................................................June
22 and July13
Present plan to WDC ....................................................................................August
3
Present plan to City Planning Commission ..................................................August
9
Present plan to Willmar City Council ........................................................August
21
Make a Master Plan Document ................................................................after
Sept 1
Bridge Grant Due .......................................................................................October
6
Master Plan completed .............................................................................October
31
Willmar City Council gets update
on the activities at Design Center
Walking bridge design presented
Downtown
Willmar Design Guidelines (Doc 41 mg)
Willmar
Area Transportation Study
Final
Study (PDF
1.7 mg),Figures (PDF
9 mg),Appendices (PDF 1.5 mg)
WDC receives SWMF/Valspar Paint Grant
Becker Market opens June 1
Downtown Willmar to be decked with flower baskets
Grab your brushes and help paint The Barn red!
WDC receives SWMF/Valspar Paint Grant
The Willmar Design Center received a Valspar
Corporation "Minnesota Beautiful" paint grant, awarded through
the Southwest Minnesota Foundation. The paint will be used as part
of "The
Great American Barn Theatre Shed Makeover," to give a visual makeover
to "The Shed," used
for rehearsal and storage space, and annexed to The Barn Theatre.
The
Willmar Design Center and Public Art Committee partnered with The
Barn Theatre and Kandiyohi County's United Way Youth as Resources Committee
to make the project possible. Pictured above are, left to right:
Allison
Geiger - WDC Public Art, Bev Dougherty - WDC president, Katherine
Panasuk - Resource Development and Marketing Coordinator for United Way
of
Kandiyohi County, and Suzette Therkilsen - WDC Youth Downtown United
Way YAR committee member.
Becker Market opens June 1
The Willmar Design Center announces the opening of Becker Market with
an array of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, art, entertainment and
special events for kids.
Becker Market will be open at 3 p.m., Thursday, on Becker Ave between
4th and 5th streets in Downtown Willmar. It will be open 3-7 p.m., every
Thursday through September 28.
This Thursday there will be Latin Dancers performing at 4:30 and a fashion
show featuring students from Ridgewater College Administrative Support
program at 6 p.m. At 6:30 p.m. there will be a roundtable discussion
by Bethel, led by members of the Minnesota Design Team.
Please stop over and join us for fun, food and entertainment and be
part of a new tradition in Downtown Willmar.
Downtown Willmar to be decked with flower baskets
Did you know there are approximately 87 naked light posts in beautiful
downtown Willmar?
Main Street Willmar provided $400 in seed money (pardon the pun)
to dress up the light poles with hanging flower baskets.
The project is part of the Willmar Design Center's Downtown Environment
Committee's effort to work in collaboration with other downtown interest
groups to beautify downtown and provide a fun spring and summer atmosphere
- hopefully in time for Willmarfest.
"
It is truly a collaborative effort," said Mary Lou Arne, committee
chair. "We initiated the idea, Mainstreet provided a real financial
boost, the businesses have been very enthusiastic and contributing additional
funds and the City of Willmar will take care of watering the baskets." If
you would like to participate, and have not been contacted, please
call Mary Lou Arne at 235-4150 or Jan Sheltens at 235-2425 or 967-4682.
Round table discussion
at the Becker Market opening.
 
It's Tuesday it must be Bethel Concert Series
started June 6, 2006
   more
photos
Willmar Fests Downtown Block Party 2006
    more
photos
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