Letter to the Editor: Municipal Center

Submitted by April Lieberman
Special to the Enterprise

We don’t need another monolithic government building dominating what’s left of our downtown. In no way does this sterile structure relate to our existing architecture. It doesn’t exactly say “Welcome to Historic Dresden,” does it?
Is there any other land the city actually owns where the municipal center could be built? It doesn’t have to be on Main St. If you have business with the city, you will go to wherever city hall is, as currently with the senior center.
That way, small businesses for whom location is important can be located on Main Street. Imagine cute shops and boutiques, to draw people downtown. And wouldn’t it be wonderful to have some restaurants in that space? A place to go out to lunch with friends, or have date night? How about an outdoor venue for live events, open mic nights, and entertainment?
We can reimagine Dresden in any way we want. Our town need places for families to gather and socialize, to enjoy music and shop, with small town charm. Let’s give our young people somewhere to go, something to do, and a reason to stay.
We will soon celebrate Dresden’s bicentennial. We must be strategic with our choices and focus on revitalizing our downtown if we want Dresden to survive and hopefully thrive for the next 200 years.