Riverfront Development Communication (from the Mayor)

8/12/2019 Riverfront Development Communication (from the Mayor)

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Mayor Michael BeamishFrom:Sent:

Patrick Titterington Thursday, July 10 2014 1:02 PM

To: 'Doug Trostle'Cc: Mike BeamishSubject: RE: Treasure Island & Hobart Arena

Great email, Doug. Thanks for sharing.From: Doug Trostle [mailto:[email protected]]Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2014 12:04 PMTo: John SchweserSubject: Treasure Island Hobart ArenaJohn,

Thanks for stopping by the Bakehouse this morning. As you know we discuss a number oflocal, national and international events during our morning coffee.Of particular interest to me was the local initiative to renovate and update the facilities atTreasure Island and Hobart Arena. This initiative is being considered, in part, as an economicdevelopment issue. Whether we call it economic development or refer to it as a quality of lifeinitiative, this is the basic responsibi lity of local government to provide services andopportunities that otherwise could not be sustained on their own.

What makes Troy, Ohio, Troy, Ohio ? Is it our infrastructure, including a quality water systema full time police and fire department, quality schools and affordable housing or could it be therecreational facilities? I believe it is all of the above . Look at other communities and askWhy do they have vacant buildings due to companies moving out or downsizing? When

Panasonic left town, when Dinner Bell Foods and Friendly's closed, Troy was able to bring innew industry that continues to offer career opportunit ies and a tax base that supports ourcommunity. I believe the collective efforts, commitment and ongoing support of our localgovernment, schools and the parks & recreation department have sustained a quality of lifethat was envisioned long before we came on the scene.We have previously discussed the conscience effort of the Hobart family to center most of theCity's recreational facilities along the Great Miami River. When they proposed to constructHobart Arena, they challenged the community to construct Troy Memoria l Stadium. Theywanted to locate these facilities on the community golf course so they proposed locating thenew Miami Shores course downstream. Over the years, Council and our civic leadersrecognized this fact and we have been able to enhance this focus by relocating the Communitypool and purchasing the McClung Farm for development of Duke Park. Troy might just be

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another 1 75 bedroom community if these individuals did not recognize the valuable asset wehad in the Great Miami River.I believe one of the roles of government is to provide services and activities that individuallyare not financial ly feasible. Collectively they enhance the quality of life, are an asset toeconomic development and make s Troy, Ohio an attract ive place to live, work and raise yourfamily. We have all discussed how we can attract more young people to return to Troy. Thecontinued development and expansion of recreational opportunities is an area of interest. I donot subscribe to the idea that every activity or facility must stand on its own. If they werefinancially feasible, government would not be in the conversation. When government isinvolved, it becomes a two edge sword. We want it to be self- sustaining but, at the sametime, we want it to be affordable for everyone to participate. If you are a golfer, you prioritizethe golf course. If you are a swimmer you prioritize the Municipal Pool and soccer and littleleague football participants support Duke Park.Hobart Arena was renovated using private funds. Ken Siler has done an amazing job attractingadditional activities to this landmark and the facility deserves your financial support. The BoatHouse was renovated, in the 70 s, using State funding. At that time, Duke Park and the bicyclepath did not exist and I don t believe there was adequate support to complete theredevelopment of Treasure Island. 1-1.5 million seems like a small commitment if this can beleveraged to redevelop the river corridor. While we may not be able to reintroduce motorboating, it would be neat to see an amphitheater and canoe rentals reestablished.Obviously Council cannot be so committed to recreation that they ignore other responsibilitiesbut not recognizing the role recreation plays in the personality and attraction of Troy, Ohio foreconomic development and quality of life, is doing a real disservice to the community yourepresent. Current interest rates only enhances the urgency of this proposal and a long termbond issue reduces the financial burden on the community. I encourage you to support bothinitiatives.Doug Trostle937-335-8869 phone/fax937-546-8869 [email protected]

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July 6 2014Dear Troy City Council

Hello my name is Amy Myers and I am writing to you as a citizen o Troy and formerRiver Steward in favor o the Hobart Arena and Treasure Island Marina Park developmentprojects. I am in favor o the projects because I believe it is paramount to the health o this regionphysically mentally ecologically and economically.

Before I elaborate upon my decision to support these projects I would like to offer yousome background on my perspective. I grew up in rural Logan County where I was fortunateenough to have spent my summers playing in the creeks o the Mad River. I went onto theUniversity o Dayton where I stumbled upon the River Stewards program. The River Stewardsprogram transformed my life in so many ways that I could probably write a book about it but Iwill do my best to abbreviate the most powerful experiences I had to h o p f u l ~ y encourage you asyou make this crucial decision.

My first point is that riverfront development will positively impact the physical health othe citizens o Troy. While a River Steward I had the opportunity to learn to kayak and teachothers to kayak. Kayaking is a very easy activity that requires very little training but appears tobe a very out o reach activity. Much o the exposure to kayaking is in the form o the Olympicsor some elaborate outdoor adventure. By creating easy access for local people to put a kayak orcanoe in the Great Miami River or a Marina many will realize this sport is great exercise veryeasy to do and a new way to experience the town they call home. At a time in which childhoodobesity is rampant I think it is crucial for people o all ages to be exposed to any activity thatencourages an active lifestyle. Similarly the city o Troy already has wonderful bike paths thatwill be utilized more with the additional development.

While physical fitness is extremely important I actually believe the mental healthbenefits that could come from these projects is even more important. As a steward I had theopportunity to take young people from all walks o life out on the water and watch them have apersonal transformation. The most powerful experience for me was watching a group ohomeless teens from the Daybreak center find a sense o peace place and home for at least thatone day. We had the opportunity to discuss how the teens felt and what the experience meant tothem. All o the teens felt they were good at something they felt that had a lot more in commonwith each other than before they felt a sense o control in their lives they felt a sense o peaceand happiness and they felt they could transfer these feelings into their daily lives. These kidswere very emotional about their day and felt it was a life-changing experience.

While getting in a plastic boat seems like nothing big it allows a person to feel they canconquer fear work with others explore their world and do more than they thought possible.Experiences in nature tend to empower people which is an experience nobody should be denied.By developing the Troy Riverfront the citizens o Troy will have the opportunity to feel


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empowered by their rivers and natural resources that will transfer into an improved overallcommunity.

Third, allowing people the opportunity to feel empowered while experiencing their ownriver corridor, will lend itself to the awareness and action necessary to preserve and improve thenatural resources this region is blessed with. f the citizens of Troy feel an emotional attachmentto the river, they will be invested in maintaining it and ensuring that the resource remains healthyfor future generations. The citizens of Troy take great pride in their downtown and localbusinesses because they enjoy those amenities. The same principle of preserving a local buildingor business will be transferred to the river and natural resources, as well. In addition to hearing,"I remember going to a Piazza on my first date," you will hear, "I remember the first time Ikayaked by the high school." We are incredibly fortunate to have such a wealth of fresh water inthis region, and it is essential that this resource is cherished and preserved.

Fourth, by developing the river corridor, you are indirectly developing the localeconomy. After a few hours of kayaking, walking, or biking, a group ofpeople will be lookingfor a place to get a meal or cold drink. With the Troy downtown so conveniently located by theriver, it is logical for a person to go from the river to the local businesses. While the riverfrontdevelopment will be used the most by the locals, it will also be used by non -locals. With Daytonhaving a hub for bicycling and kayaking in the downtown, people are already drawn to the cityofDayton for those amenities. Having riverfront development in Troy will make for a severaldestination stop for those coming from out of town seeking outdoor adventure. Troy isstrategically located such that it would make for an excellent weekend trip to kayak or bike fromTroy to Dayton to Miamisburg and potentially onward. Just imagine people travelling from allover the Midwest with their kayaks and bicycles to kayak or bike the Great Miami River

In case my previous four points ofphysical, mental, ecological, and economical healthare not strong enough, I would like to offer you my personal perspective as a young adult whomoved to Troy in search of an active, outdoor lifestyle. I graduated from the University ofDayton in 2013, and I was seeking a job along the river corridor to continue my experiences as ariver steward into my adult life and classroom. I was blessed with a job as a physics teacher atPiqua High School, where I was shocked by the lack of experience, knowledge, and appreciationmy students had for the immense natural resources they have in Piqua. From my experience, itseems as though the youth of Troy have slightly better pride for their town, but I sense they arenot all posting on Twitter about how much they want to come back to Troy after going off tocollege. The attitude that staying in the Midwest is not glamorous or good enough can easily bechanged by providing the local youth opportunities that provide them with a sense ofplace andpride for their community. This mentality should not be promoted and needs to be changed inorder for these regions to experience the economic success that it is capable of and deserves.

I moved to Troy expecting to find a network of people who also shared my love for thisregion, the rivers, and nature in general, but I unfortunately have struggled to find this network.


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While living in Dayton I traversed the bike trails and waterways frequently. I so much lovedhopping on my bike and being at a concert at RiverScape in under 20 minutes. I expected to havesimilar experiences here in Troy but I have only found mys lf frustrated when I could not findeasy access to bike paths or the rivers. I believe the city has so much to offer already in terms ofwater access and bike trail access but it is not as user-friendly or as enjoyable as it could be.

My husband and I are not the only young people experiencing this frustration. I have aco-worker from Piqua High School who also moved to Troy last summer expecting to havesimilar experiences to what he had in Athens Ohio but he has also been disappointed by thelack of access to outdoor amenities. e and I are both incredibly positive people whodesperately wanted to love Troy as we did the places we came from but we both found ourselvesrunning into the same frustrations. I am not writing this to complain because I do believe the cityof Troy is a wonderful place with a lot to offer but I believe these amenities are not beingpromoted and utilized as much as they should be. By completing the Hobart Arena and TreasureIsland Marina Park development projects I believe young people will want to move to Troywork in Troy and stay in Troy.

In conclusion I ask that you please fully support and believe in the Hobart Arena andTreasure Island Marina Park development projects because it will improve the physical mentalecological and economical health of the city of Troy and surrounding region. I believe theseprojects will also gamer a sense of pride for this city that will encourage young people to comehere and stay here. Please do not delay in your support for these crucial development projects.

SincerelyAmy Myers

P.S. Thank you for reading this letter and thank you for all you do for the city of Troy.


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Mayor Michael BeamishFromSentToSubject

Martin Hobart Monday, July 21, 2014 11:20 AMKen Siler; Patrick Titterington; Mike Beamish; Tom Dunn; Donna Snipes; ave Heffner;Doug JacksonFwd: FW: Warren County tourism surpasses 1 billion in economic impact

To: [email protected]: Warren County tourism surpasses 1 billion in economic impactFrom: [email protected]: Thu, 10 Jul 2014 11 :00:59 -0400

Another Dayton Business Journal article on tourism economic impact in Warren County. They have the benefito Kings Island and the tennis ATP & WTA Masters tournament.Warren County tourism surpasses 1 billion ineconomic impact

The Western & Southern Masters and Women's Open in Warren County is the largest summer tennis tournament in the nation outside of theU.S. Open.

StaffDayton usiness JournalWarren County's tourism economy has surpassed 1 billion in total annual sales for the first time in historyaccording to a new study by Tourism Economics and the Ohio Tourism Division.Figures show a growth rate of 4.6 percent in state-wide tourism spending in the last year, but Warren County outpaced the state average with a one-year growth of 5.2 percent. No other county in Southwest Ohio is moredependent on tourism for jobs than Warren County, the study reports.Tourism is the number one industry in Warren County, according to the report.Tourism supports one in every eight jobs in Warren County or 12.7 percent of the total, said Phil Smith, president

and CEO of the Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau. We are thrilled to have surpassed the one billiondollar mark. This confirms the importance of the county's diverse array of leisure tourism attractions and our brandpromise as 'Ohio's Largest Playground'.In 2013, 8.3 million visitors to Warren County generated more than $1.063 billion in economic impact, the studyrevealed. he top three areas of visitor spending were retail ($245.5 million), recreation & entertainment ($184.3million) and food beverage ($161.3 million).In addition, the 11,866 tourism-related jobs in Warren County generated $252.1 million in wages and $136.5 millionin federal, state and local taxes.


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Dear Councilpersons:As a former Councilperson and Council President for a total of 14 yearsI would like to address the Riverfront Development project includingHobart Arena and the Treasure Island Marina Park. I can assure you thatin past Council work sessions on the budget Hobart Arena andTreasure Island redevelopment were always among the top priorities.In 1999 Hobart Arena was completely renovated including enlarging thesize of the rink new seating restrooms and locker facilities. This wasaccomplished through a city-wide fund drive that matched the 1 milliongift from the Bravo family. Later the restaurant at Treasure Island wasrenovated the lagoon was dredged and an old building that housedboats was demolished.I believe strongly that it is time again to upgrade these two facilities asit has been nearly a decade and a half since the last renovations weremade. Riverfront development will be a tremendous asset to ourcommunity providing great economic benefits to the small businesscommunity and certainly add to our already strong Quality of Life.As our business community continues to thrive these amenities willcertainly have an impact on the growth of our small businesses andserve as an additional attraction to people looking to move to a newcommunity. When combined think of the tax dollars that will be addedto our yearly budget.When Mayor Beamish and I were first elected to Council in 1993 the lateCarol Hastings then President of Council gave us some advice that Iused throughout my Council career. She put her hands to the side ofher head and said we should never think of the impact of our decisionsfor six months a year or five years. Rather she said think of yourdecisions and their impact 20 30 or and 50 from now.This particular project needs your approval. Think of its impact not fortwo years from now but 2034 and even 2054.SincerelyBill Lohrer40 Colony ParkTroy Ohio 45373


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Honorable Michael BeamishMayor of Troy100 S Market St.Troy, OhioDear Mayor Beamish:

Bob TaftLower Bellbrook Rd

Spring Valley OH 4537

July 3 2014

Thank you very much for your kind invitation to attend the upcoming City Council meeting todiscuss Troy s excit ing plans for riverfront development. I am very sorry th t I will be out oftown on th t date and am unable to attend.I would have liked to be with you because I have been delighted to observe both as Governorand in recent years the strong leadership which the City of Troy has provided in regional GreatMiami River discussions. I have also been impressed with your focus on investing in your ownriverfront to enhance the quality of life for your citizens.Troy is a gateway community to the larger Dayton metropolitan area and it is vital for you tostay in the forefront of projects th t will fully exploit the recreational and economicdevelopment potential of the river. Troy can be both a destination and a starting point forbicycle, canoe and kayak trips along the river, attracting many 1000 s of visitors from outsidethe region as well. Shopping and eating establishments can be developed and sustainedwherever there is an accessible riverfront th t is fun to visit.I have become familiar with the efforts of Cincinnati and Dayton to develop their riverfront totransform their cities and believe th t Troy is well positioned to do the same. Increasingly,young professionals and empty nesters are attracted to live and play in engaging venues alongthe banks of rivers.I encourage you and members of Troy City Council to continue your innovative efforts tocapitalize fully on your greatest natural advantage which is your location on the shores of theGreat Miami.Sincerely,

Bob TaftGovernor of Ohio 1999-2007


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ayorMichael BeamishFromSentToCc:Subject

Mr. Mayor,Good Morning

david potts Monday July 21 2014 10:09 AMMayor. BeamishJim PaluchRiverfront Proposal

I have been noticing your progress with respect to the riverfront development and continued pursuit ofupgrading the quality of life for us residents and visitors of our great city. I have been "on board" with youradministrations focus on this development which include the Treasure Island-Hobart Arena-Bike Trail andRiverfront areas and overall potential investment of 7 Million Dollars to this endeavor.This brings my thoughts to a good friend ofmine, Jim Paluch, who started a company called "Come AliveOutside" several years ago. His movement has inspired individuals, families, businesses and communities tostart finding ways to encourage one another back into the great outdoors His company, located in NorthernOhio, has worked with many cities in organizing events to create outdoor spaces to encourage this activity.As the City of Troy continues the great work in providing this environment which is aided y our bikeways andriverfront I would not hesitate in at least having a discussion with Jim to see ifhis experience with othermunicipalities would benefit Troy.I have copied him in this email since I have not discussed Troy's development in this area previously with himI have copied the link to his website for your review.http://comealiveoutside.com/what-is-this/Have a great week

David M Potts937-287-4313

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ayorMichael BeamishFromSentTo

Subject

Martin Hobart Monday July 21 2014 10:17 AMKen Siler; Tom Dunn; Donna Snipes; Doug Jackson; Dave Heffner; Patrick Titterington;Kendall Tom; Mike BeamishDayton Business Journal article on tourism economic impact in Clark County

http://www.bizjoumals.com/davton/news/20 14/07 18/tourism-dollars-flowing-in-clarkcounty html ?ana=e day rdup s=newsletter ed=20 14-07-2 u=MfNmpMJESoNtZfSgAnGoCQOOfad48d t= 14059520 15 page=all

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in Clark County Dayton Business Journal http://www.bizjoumals.com/dayton/news/2014/07/1 8/tourism dollar Q1i Business Directory Book of Lists Upstart Business Journal Bizwomen Contact Us Sign In Like on Facebook Follow on Twitter Follow on Linkedin Follow on Google+

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Sign Up for the Da on Business Journal fternoon ition Newsle erSee all newslettersEnter your email address _ _ t t Up_Jul 18, 2014, 3:35pm EDT Updated: Jul 18, 2014, 3:40pm EDT

Tourism dollars flowing in Clark County

Tristan NaveraStaff Reporter- ayton usiness JournalEmail I Twitter I Linkedin I Gooole+

Clark County is seeing a boon in tourism dollars, according to a report released Friday by the Greater SpringfieldConvention and Visitors BureauIn 2013, visitors to the county generated $368 million in business sales- an increase of $42 million from the lasttime an economic impact study on th e county was done in 2011. It's a 13 percent increase in tourism dollars for thecounty, according to the bureau.The Tourism Economics study mirrors data we have received from the Smith Travel Report which indicates thatoccupancy rates have spiked some 13% over the past two years, said Chris Schutte, Director of the GreaterSpringfield Convention & Visitors Bureau. This pattern of growth is a tribute to our local lodging and attractions

partners who help make Greater Springfield a true destination.Schutte said it's not just the attrac tions to the county- there has been an 11.5 percent increase in hotel occupancy,which has been driven in part by major employers in the county bringing people in for corporate training. Amongthem Konecranes USA CodeBiue, Soeedway and Navistar, Schutte said.Those numbers mean a significant boost for the region. Tourism-related work accounts for 8 percent of salariedemployment in Clark County, generatin g $86 million in personal income and $24 million in state and local taxes during2013, according to the study.

There's an effect for the larger area, too. Karen Wintrow, executive director of the Yellow Springs Chamber ofCommerce, said Springfield's attractions have also driven t raffic into that town, just south of the county line in GreeneCounty. A significant number of the visitors tend to visit the village for its shops and bike trails.The businesses have seen an uptick, especially for the Street Fair where they've seen a huge percentage of increasein sales, Wintrow sa id. It's been a busy season- lodging in town is almost always full now.

Riverfront Development Communication (from the Mayor)

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