I have worked in the tourism industry in a Mount Horeb-area museum for many summers. As such, I deal with thousands of tourists. Those who are traveling southbound, I always refer to destinations in Lafayette and Green counties, since I live in the stateline area and am always eager to promote this area.
For years I have been directing people to the Monroe Square, telling them how it is a diamond in the rough, but with the Main Street program, major transformations and streetscaping are about to take place. For years, I have been hearing back from people that I do send to the Square.
They tell me that it is indeed a very nice place, with endless potential, which I would whole-heartedly agree with. But, then they tell me about cracked pavement, broken curbs, lack of trees and greenery, and the feeling that the Square feels too much like a parking lot simmering in the hot sun, and not really people-orientated. I have to agree with this, too.
Two years ago at Cheese Days, I was told by several merchants that by this next Cheese Days, major infrastructure changes would have occurred. This has not happened, to the disappointment of many.
The Main Street Program has been in Monroe for years, committees seem to be constantly reviewing plans and maps, which must be quite dog-eared by now, but still no infrastructure changes downtown. New Glarus, Brodhead, Mount Horeb, Darlington, Shullsburg and many others have revamped their downtowns and made them "people places" years ago. One would think that Monroe, being by far the largest and wealthiest community in the stateline, would be the leader, and not the follower. Such does not seem to be the case.
My question is, when do the backhoes arrive downtown, along with the landscapers, and real change start to appear? What message does Monroe want the tourists to take home with them, and what should they expect to see next season, when they come back?
For years I have been directing people to the Monroe Square, telling them how it is a diamond in the rough, but with the Main Street program, major transformations and streetscaping are about to take place. For years, I have been hearing back from people that I do send to the Square.
They tell me that it is indeed a very nice place, with endless potential, which I would whole-heartedly agree with. But, then they tell me about cracked pavement, broken curbs, lack of trees and greenery, and the feeling that the Square feels too much like a parking lot simmering in the hot sun, and not really people-orientated. I have to agree with this, too.
Two years ago at Cheese Days, I was told by several merchants that by this next Cheese Days, major infrastructure changes would have occurred. This has not happened, to the disappointment of many.
The Main Street Program has been in Monroe for years, committees seem to be constantly reviewing plans and maps, which must be quite dog-eared by now, but still no infrastructure changes downtown. New Glarus, Brodhead, Mount Horeb, Darlington, Shullsburg and many others have revamped their downtowns and made them "people places" years ago. One would think that Monroe, being by far the largest and wealthiest community in the stateline, would be the leader, and not the follower. Such does not seem to be the case.
My question is, when do the backhoes arrive downtown, along with the landscapers, and real change start to appear? What message does Monroe want the tourists to take home with them, and what should they expect to see next season, when they come back?
