麻豆视频

One of the recurring comments about Estevan is the need to have more downtown attractions.

Downtown has long played an important role in the life of any community. It has not just been the place to shop; it has been a gathering place.

In Estevan, the corridor of Fourth Street, Fifth Street and Sixth Street, as well as 12th Avenue and 13th Avenue, is where our movie theatre is located. Numerous restaurants and hotels are there as well, and there is the variety of stores.

But as communities have grown out, and sprawl has become common, we鈥檝e seen other areas gain importance commercially. Locally, for example, the Estevan Shoppers Mall is in north Estevan and the northeast corner has seen many businesses move in, some at the expense of downtown. And there are businesses in the east end as well.

We hear a lot about downtown revitalization. We hear discussions on how to help it regain its prominence. Like everyone else, we鈥檇 like to see those vacancies in the downtown core filled.

Community events would go a long ways in helping the downtown area restore its luster. The Street Fair this past weekend was one of those events that can provide a boost. Hundreds of people were down there to enjoy activities. There were food vendors, and the downtown merchants had sidewalk sales and in-store specials.

For some, it might have been the first time they had spent time downtown in a while, and hopefully they reacquainted themselves with the amenities.

Events are great, and it would be great to see more events downtown, such as outdoor concerts. While these events would cause an inconvenience for motorists, it鈥檚 encouraging to hear ideas tossed around to get more people.

These events serve as a showcase for what downtown Estevan has to offer. Hopefully they create return customers who want to tell their friends about the positive experience they had.

It鈥檚 also encouraging to hear that the Tower Caf茅 and the Tap House want to add a small, summertime patio that would front Fourth Street. Patios such as these are common in other communities, and not just the big cities, either.

In the case of the patio for the Tower and the Tap House, it would encroach onto Fourth Street鈥檚 south sidewalk, but not enough to cause a serious impediment for pedestrians.

When businesses move in, or when existing businesses come up with ways to attract more people to the downtown area, it鈥檚 a step in the right direction.

There are challenges for downtown Estevan. The width of the roads, especially Fourth Street, means that it鈥檚 not necessarily the most pedestrian-friendly area. It doesn鈥檛 have that intimate design that is so welcoming to those who want to stroll from business to business and window shop.

But it still has a lot going for it, not the least of which is the entrepreneurs who run the businesses. 聽