Letter to the Editor: Center city loop connects complementary districts

Thank you for including our community in the poll that was published on July 27 posing the following question: Do you think it’s right for Commercial Street to have its own “First Friday” arts and entertainment event? Why or why not?

It’s rewarding to see so much support for our hard-working little district. Of the possible responses, I would have to choose option No. 1: “Yes, Commercial Street vendors are promoting center city just as downtown vendors are.”

In response to option No. 3, (No, downtown vendors have worked hard to establish First Friday Art Walk as its own event) and as Commercial Club president, it is my duty to mention that this poll, due in part to its abbreviated nature, leaves out one of the most important features of C-Street’s revival of First Friday events – the free center city loop route.

The loop route, a collaboration between City Utilities and Commercial Club, is a big-picture, long-term approach to maintaining the current success and expanding on the future success our greater downtown area. The loop is about adding choices for our customers and neighborhood guests while adding connectivity and expanded parking opportunities.

More importantly, the loop route reflects that Springfield is big enough to support a vibrant center city with three distinct districts: Walnut Street, Park Central Square and the Commercial Street Historic District.

Add to that mix Jordan Valley Park, three higher-learning institutions, an art center, a ballpark, a convention complex, a theater district, city and county government complexes, the Assemblies of God international headquarters and Cox North Hospital, and (it’s easy) to realize that connectivity is the missing link that ties together each of these great elements.

City Utilities will be collecting data from surveys available on the center city loop route about a permanent service to connect all of these areas while being responsive about connecting to special events like Downtown’s Art Walk, Walnut Street’s Artsfest and Cider Days, C-Street’s Loftwalk and the C-Street Jam as well as Blues Fest, ballgames at Hammons Field, visiting conventions, performances at the Hall and JQH Arena, and anything else going on in our exciting center city footprint.

First Friday events on Commercial Street are not meant to be counterproductive to those events downtown, rather to expand upon those events and add an additional value that is free to the public and helps to tie us all together.

What center city business wouldn’t want to have all the guests of the aforementioned activities plugged into parking and shuttle access to their wonderful menu of restaurants, galleries, boutiques and historic sites? That’s the real question for your next poll.

—Paul Parker

President, Commercial Club of Springfield