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By Jenny Kirk The goal of Monday night’s event at the city park was to create awareness about Currie Area Revitalization Enterprise (CARE) and to gain valuable input from community members regarding potential future projects.
Organizers explained that the mission of CARE is to empower the community of Currie through strategic initiatives to increase tourism, improve infrastructure, attract businesses and provide diverse recreational opportunities. “We want to know what projects you want in our community, what you think will increase tourism, commerce — anything that will revitalize our main street or in the Currie area,” Ramona Lindberg said.
The CARE group consists of dedicated community members who came together in 2023 with a shared vision of building on the community’s strengths and assets to ensure a prosperous future for Currie. “Your input is really necessary, unless you want me and Elizabeth (Schreier) to make all the decisions,” Lindberg said jokingly. “We meet on the first Thursday of the month at 5 p.m. down at the municipal building. Everyone is welcome.”
As people filtered in to enjoy a free pulled pork meal from The Hideaway and music from Tom Morin and Sue Nelson, Southwest Regional Sustainable Development Partnership (RSDP) Executive Director Anne Dybsetter spoke briefly about the funding aspect of the effort. “We’re part of the University of Minnesota Extension,” she said. “(Kim Guenther and I) have the privilege of serving this region. I’m here because there’s a program called Empowering Small Minnesota Communities.”
Southwest RSDP supports local innovation by connecting community ideas to the University of Minnesota resources. “I work out of the Willmar office,” Dybsetter said. “Kim works out of the Marshall office.”
Guenther, Extension Educator, Leadership and Civic Engagement, thanked everyone for coming out to the park and encouraged people to make their way to the back before they left for the night. “There’s a series of questions and sticky notes there,” Guenther said. “We’re just looking for people’s input on a number of questions. We’re going to use that information then, along with some things that the CARE group has already started, in terms of some ideas for projects here in Currie.”
Future projects could include restoration of downtown buildings, new street lights, a city park splash pad and improved signage. The input gathered from the community picnic on Monday night will also help organizers create a survey that will be distributed to Currie area residents this fall. The results of the survey are expected be shared at a second public event in January 2025. Those results should help prioritize future projects.
