Town Square - As envisioned by the community, a town square, or public plaza, would be a dedicated outdoor space and hub of community activity. The town square would likely bring people together and provide a gathering place in the middle of the City Center.
Expand diversity of gathering places and activities for youth - Of the many visions offered as part of Salem Vision 2020, several emphasized the need for the City Center to be a welcoming place for all ages. Included in the wealth of written comments were requests for child, youth, and family-focused activities and venues.
Develop new downtown housing - Developing new housing is one of the most strongly supported projects in the Salem Vision 2020 Action Plan. Viewed as critical to establishing a consistent level of activity for expanded hours, more days of the week and a more stable business environment in the core.
The City Council has echoed the sentiments of Vision 2020 participants by emphasizing the importance of housing projects as a strategy to stimulate continued revitalization of the City Center, and maintain the health of the City overall.
Coordinate access to community services for people in need - In addition to being a key component to the City’s economic base and vibrant destination for residents, employees, and visitors, the City Center provides a home to a variety of critical services and support systems for people in need. Linked by a hub of public transportation, access to those services is also provided in the City Center.
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