BROKEN BOW – Representatives of the Custer Economic Development Corporation, Broken Bow Public Library, Custer County Historical Society, Sandhills Journey National Scenic Byway, and the city itself held a meeting of the minds on Monday afternoon at the Broken Bow Chamber of Commerce to take the first steps toward establishing a creative district in Broken Bow.
The initiative is possible through the Nebraska Arts Council (NAC), which has been awarding money to communities around the state to revitalize, amplify, and celebrate their uniqueness, history, and of course, creativity.
In recent years, towns ranging from Red Cloud, Scottsbluff, and Cozad have received funds from the NAC to promote their creative side, and with a newly forged public-private partnership, the City of Broken Bow looks to do the same.
The idea has been enthusiastically backed by several of the city’s economic heavy hitters: Adams Land & Cattle, Nebraska State Bank, and BD all submitted letters voicing support of the initiative to the city council at its April 25 meeting.
Citywide support is a tremendous start; however, a district by definition can’t be citywide. The first hurdle for the project to overcome is just that: how and where should the committee Tetris out a few blocks to best present its creative side?
The most recent proposed district boundaries are South G Street between 11th and 6th Avenue to the south, and Memorial Drive between 10th and 5th to the north. Excluded in the main district would be the area between South B Street and North C Street, as these blocks, according to the committee, are primarily residential.
The area has been outlined for its concentration of cultural and creative ventures (the Wild Rose Gallery, Custer County Museum, and Sandhills Custom Creations all, to name only three, hang their shingles in the area) and for the enormous box it ticks for the Arts Council’s district requirements: it is easily walkable.
Curiously, Broken Bow High School freckles the main district’s forehead; Library Board President Betsy Smith emphasized the importance of the school’s inclusion given its ongoing facility tribulation.
“I think we need to leave ourselves open to the idea of having something up and around the school. With the school in need of something a little more ‘artistically-inclined,’ it would be nice if we could include that.”
The drawback of the area is what it immediately excludes: the Fairgrounds, the Red Barn, and, probably most notably, Kinkaider.
Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Stephanie Grafel said that in her talks with the NAC, “craft” industries such as the brewery are constant presences, staples throughout creative districts statewide.
“The districts that are out there, things that they really bring into the scope are wineries and breweries. Those are considered super creative business opportunities.”
Grafel went on to say that by adding “pockets” to the main cultural hub, Broken Bow’s district could include most of those areas, including Melham Park, which would open the doors for events out in the open.
“If you’ve got Melham as one of those pockets, then you’ve got a great place to do larger events; if you wanted to have people fly kites, or have some type of festival for anything, or an art show.”
Custer Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Keith Ellis imagined something even bigger for the park’s future as a cultural destination.
“I think we should have a performing arts facility in the park. Not an amphitheater, a real performing arts center overlooking the pond.”
Dreaming aside, the group did outline 3 potential branches from the main district. Two, the Custer County Fairgrounds and Red Barn, would connect to the district’s core via Highway 92, and to the north Melham Park would share 5th Avenue with the main hub. Fifth Avenue would also provide a connection to Paulsen Road, and then out to the brewery.
With geography settled, the frontiers for the committee are only widening: what constitutes “creativity” in work or business? How do the designated areas and their participants encourage inclusion, and arguably most importantly: what is uniquely Broken Bow?
As the brainstorming continues, the group is planning listening sessions in the coming weeks for the city’s businesses, which by a recent Chamber of Commerce count, number a head-spinning 118 in the proposed district alone.
