First Impressions - Prairie du Chien

Transcription

Appendix A
Template to be used for Final Report (also available on the web as a Microsoft Word
Document at: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cced/communities/firstimpressions)
Community Visited: Prairie du Chien, WI
Date of Visit: 9/30/14 and 10/1/14
Visit Completed by (community): Lake Mills, WI
First Impressions:
A Program for Community Assessment & Improvement
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First Impressions Community Exchange Coordinator’s Guide
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This program was first developed by Andrew Lewis and James Schneider in 1991. It was
revised in 2002 by Andrew Lewis with further revisions in 2007. This guide booklet format was
developed by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rural Development Division,
Ontario, Canada, in 2004. Questions about the program should be directed to:
Professor Andrew B. Lewis
Community Development Specialist
Center for Community & Economic Development
University of Wisconsin Extension
610 Langdon Street, Room 328
Madison, WI 53703-1104
andy.lewis@uwex.edu
www.uwex.edu/ces/cced
(608) 263-1432
Graphic Designer: Donna Anderson,
Distance Education/Digital Media Unit, UW-Extension
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Table of Contents
Visiting Team Member Info Sheet ........................................................................................... 1
Prior To Your Visit ................................................................................................................... 3
The Five Minute Impression.................................................................................................... 6
Community Entrances............................................................................................................. 8
Housing and Residential Areas ............................................................................................. 13
Education, Health, Social and Emergency Services ............................................................. 21
Local Economy ..................................................................................................................... 30
Government/Public Services................................................................................................. 53
Recreation, Faith, Culture and Heritage................................................................................ 60
General Observations ........................................................................................................... 65
Information from Community Residents ................................................................................ 67
Wrap-up ................................................................................................................................ 70
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First Impressions:
A Program for Community Assessment & Improvement
Final Report
Community You Visited: Prairie du Chien, WI
Visitation Team Profile:
Name1: Randy Otto
Age: 62
Gender: M
Occupation: Financial Advisor; Project Leader
Name2: Hope Oostdik
Age: 61
Gender: F
Occupation: Town Board President; Retail Shop Owner
Name3: Steve Wilke
Age: 56
Gender: M
Occupation: Government Administrator/Lake Mills City Manager
Name4: Lalie Wilke
Age: 56
Gender: F
Occupation: Insurance Coder
Name5: Jessica Nguyen
Age: 41
Gender: F
Occupation: Business Owner
Name6: Brad Glassel
Age: 55
Gender: M
Occupation: Business Owner/Insurance Agent
Name7: Ed Grunden
Age: 65
Gender: M
Occupation: Retired Educator; Politician
Name8: Kory Hampton
Age: 30’s
Gender: M
Occupation: Banker
Name9: Nicole Schreier
Age: 28
Gender: F
Occupation: Attorney
Name10: Kate Anderson
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Age: 46
Gender: F
Occupation: Chamber Executive
Name11: Pam Streich
Age: 52
Gender: F
Occupation: Lake Mills High School Principal
Name12: Dean Sanders
Age: 56
Gender: M
Occupation: Lake Mills School District Superintendent
Name13: Logan Larrabee
Age: 17
Gender: M Occupation: Lake Mills High School Student/Senior
Date of visit and time spent: Full day Tuesday, 9/30/14; full day Wednesday, 10/1/14 (team
broke into two groups – one each day)
Weather on date of visit: Partly cloudy and mild on 9/30; cool and partly sunny on 10/1
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Prior To Your Visit
What is your impression of the community before your upcoming visit? What are you expecting
to see? Please comment on what you know about this community.
1. Beautiful little town overlooking the Mississippi River. A great destination for couples on
weekends. Quaint B&Bs.
2. Expecting a river town that is a tourist-type town mixed with an old rail road community
that is still active.
3. I knew a little bit about PdC because my relatives have a cabin north in Ferryville. When
I was about 12 my Aunt and Uncle lived there and we visited the Villa Louis and the
Medical Museum on a trip the summer of 1964. I did some web research before coming
to see what the Chamber site might have to offer and visited the links, especially the
Villa Louis site for times and festivals. I knew a little bit about life and recreation on the
river and spent many summer outings with relatives on Battle Island being weekend
“river rats.” I was looking forward to exploring the downtown with the knowledge that
PdC was a long time “Main Street” community.
4. Historic river town with lots of natural scenic beauty. Influence from Iowa communities.
5. Expected a river city with a moderately sized downtown area and a slight amount of
commercial and industrial areas on the outskirts.
6. Heard from other young professionals that it is a difficult area to relocate to.
7. We knew that it was a historical river town. We have a friend who grew up there and
always spoke highly of the beautiful area. We know another person who grew up in the
area and traveled there to shop and for recreation as a young person.
8. Small community on the river. Quaint downtown with major tourism opportunities and
limited shopping opportunities.
9. Knew very little about Prairie Du Chien. Was there twice many years ago (‘68, ‘94), but
little memory of the place. I knew it was a river city and Villa Louis is there. I was not
sure what to expect overall. I have some experience with river cities and know they can
be treasures as well as seedy.
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For Visiting Team Coordinators
How easy was it to get information by mail and telephone about the community you are
visiting? Are you satisfied with the quality of information received? Did the information arrive in
a timely fashion?
Please rate and comment on the community’s online web materials and information (only
answer if you were assigned the task of reviewing the community’s website). Could you find
information on this community on state and regional tourism web sites?
Quality of online materials:
8
Poor
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Excellent
Average Team Score: 8
Range of Scores: 6 to 9
Observations:
1. We reviewed the websites and had a basic familiarity with the town. The Chamber
website was missing links. The city site was very informative, clean and easy to use.
The school website was done well and we could find information easily.
2. Google provided more than I could read. The tourism trade provides substantial
information opportunities for Prairie. I did not try any other methods for generating
information.
3. prairieduchien.org - the content was easy to move through
4. Prairieduchien.info - some clutter, useful
5. The web sites were very inviting and listed all the many events and places to visit in WI
and Iowa. I visited the lodging section seeking a motel room or Band B but decided on
the AmericInn because of the location, the rave reviews of breakfast and the discount
card my husband uses for work travel with AmericInn’s. I phoned the inn and was asked
for a number because the receptionist was busy…she promptly called me back at my
business and I received a corporate discount on the last King single room they had left.
I was happy to talk to someone directly, wondered at how busy they were and was glad
to have that detail behind me before going to work that day.
6. The website was so good, we should use much of this on our own Chamber/Tourism
website.
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7. All excellent…almost too much to do thru the year!I did not look to see if there was a
“Main Street” website. Great photos of Villa Louis and all the events and nice easy to
navigate sites.
8. I ordered/requested materials on a Tuesday and received them on Friday in the mail!
The Chamber of Commerce website was very informative.
9. We relied on internet research to gain information. We found the information very easy
to obtain and use.
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The Five Minute Impression
After taking a five-minute drive through the community without stopping, what was your first
impression? As you exit the community, pull over to the side of the road and write down what
you felt about the community based on this quick drive through. For larger communities, this
may take more time.
1. Gateways to the city (looked at three) were not impressive. Walmart and its strip mall
were not inviting nor was the burned out shopping mall within the city. Surprised at the
number of hotels and restaurants for the size of the town. Impressed with the visitor
center and entrance from Iowa. Overall the city was very clean. Homes that appeared
to be of lower income were well kept with neatly cleaned yards for the most part.
Couldn’t help but notice that there were very few homes for sale and no area of
expensive homes as most appeared to be under $200,000. Assumed that expensive
homes were up in the bluffs outside of city limits. Impressed with the old downtown
strip. Needs to be extended to crossing streets.
2. Our first impression was big billboards, lots of signs and not much small town character.
Our first entrance was the long stretch of big and small box businesses along Highway
35….seemed to go on forever with the same old, same old. Until we came to an old
stone two story building with a Veterans Memorial (very somber with all black granite
appointments, flags and a picnic shelter. No signage identified the old building that
seemed related to the memorial. (I am not impressed with black granite contrived
monuments….we have a very ugly one in Lake Mills on our town square and I dislike it
immensely.) It was a mystery to us what this big building was doing, it is in poor repair
and seemed to be discarded by the community but too historic to remove so they added
another poorly planned feature. We stopped and looked it over well, questioning what it
might be???
3. The community was larger than either of us thought it would be. We did note the lack of
a big Welcome sign when coming in from 35. We did not like all the billboard signs as
you enter town. On first glance, we did not see many restaurants in the main downtown
area (although that impression changed later).
4. Entering town, we saw many fast food restaurants and the first residential area we saw
was a trailer park. It needed better fencing and landscaping. We were impressed with
the variety of motels and an airport. Construction made it impossible to get around
town. Limited signage added to our frustration. Our GPS was obviously useless.
5. The town seemed quiet which we attributed to our mid-week visit. It is obviously an
older city with older homes and traditional architecture. It did not appear to be a tourist
destination as we had assumed it would be.
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6. Noticed the bluffs right away. Drove through an older, well-developed downtown.
Noticed the County buildings, schools and city hall. These public buildings appear very
nice. City hall was the most discreetly marked building downtown. The housing stock in
the older part of the city is old and quite a bit seemed poorly maintained. There are also
a lot of trailer parks throughout the community. There is good ingress and egress for the
city. Highway 18, 27, 35 and 60 provide easy access to the community. Directional
signage is fair, but the one way streets make it difficult to get anywhere, especially in a
city that depends on a lot of visitors.
7. The river, history and tourism seem to affect the community’s development options. The
Visitors Center/Chamber of Commerce was easy to find and provide significant
amounts of information. Development appears to mix uses in a haphazard manner
throughout the community.
8. The burned out Slumberland building looked pretty rough. If this goes to the community
for razing the process will take some time. Is the owner capable of razing the building?
9. Prairie du Chien is the county seat and appears to be the regional hub for medical,
financial, commercial and cultural activity.
10. We noted very few Halloween decorations, pumpkins, blow up characters and yard
ornaments. We seem to have an over-abundance of these things in Lake Mills. Road
construction was the most overwhelming thing, making it hard to drive around town and
feel like you were seeing it totally. We noted a lack of street signage, and sidewalks, no
trails we saw marked. Two very nice public facilities we saw were the skate park and
outdoor pool and the indoor pool in the former Campion complex that is now a
correctional facility.
11. I was surprised at the sheer expanse of the town. The downtown area seems to go on
for miles with about the same population as Lake Mills. I found that interesting! Being on
the Mississippi, I can see much opportunity in making this even more of a weekend
destination for couples and families.
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Community Entrances
Approach the community from the major entrances. Rate and comment on each entrance.
While there may be an obvious main entrance to the community there are typically multiple
ways to enter the community. In some communities there are entrances for other modes of
transportation. Comment on other community entry points like airports, bike trails, water
access (boat landings), and train stations (page 11).
ENTRANCE #1: Hwy 18 from Madison
8
Poor
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Excellent
Observations:
1. Long drive past the sprawl of new development, big boxes, stand-alone large retail,
Cheapo Depot catch my eye, new hospital, airport, bad Rotary signs…faded and out of
place referring to planters yet unseen. Stoplight at bridge revealed the motel and State
Visitors Center. Rating this end of town a 5….just like entering Watertown on Hwy 26.
Good roads but by-passes most of the scenery on the river and takes you to a major
intersection.
2. Driving in from Madison, there was no issue with major construction/detours. There was
a nice welcome sign.
3. New highway was very nice. Many welcoming businesses and chains.
4. We weren’t sure when we reached the Walmart if we were in Prairie du Chien or not.
There seemed to be no welcome sign until we felt we were well into the community.
5. This entrance combines highways 18, 60 and 35
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ENTRANCE #2: Hwy 35 S from the north end
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Poor
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Excellent
Observations:
1. Highway 35 coming south from Ferryville: we immediately saw Cabela’s distribution and
retail store which looked very inviting. Road construction ahead……very poor signage
to direct us around the construction and other businesses that we knew were
somewhere nearby! I would have expected a fancy State Highway 35 detour sign with
smaller signs directing cars. There were small signs and blocks of No Parking cones but
all in all not very well marked at either site 2 or 3. Something that I did not expect or
remember was that the whole city is built below the bluffs and stretches along the river
and the railroad tracks. I guess I assumed it would have spread up the bluffs for better
views and more high-end housing. I guess I assumed that all cities grew this way, in my
experiences around WI.
2. We felt this had much better signage. We were in an industrial area, and yet we knew
we were approaching town.
3. Signs were not at the edges of community – could be moved for better placement.
4. 3M/Cabela – one sign was newer and we missed it the first time. The more obvious sign
was more dated and difficult to read.
5. Entering from north side on 35. Entrance sign notes second oldest city in Wisconsin.
The manufactured homes don’t add to the sign appeal. Maybe relocate sign further
north. The newer structures at the north entrance appear quite nice and a better
location for the sign.
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ENTRANCE #3 – From Iowa going east (coming from McGregor)
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Poor
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Excellent
Observations:
1. The best entrance – WI sign and denotation of historic downtown, visitor center. Is this
the main entrance for the community? From Iowa?
2. This entrance is from Iowa on Hwy 18 and is one way on each side of the Visitor’s
Center. The visitor’s facility is very nice and contained more information that I would
ever read. The roads around the center were in very good condition.
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ENTRANCE #4 – Hwy 18 after 35 split
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Poor
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Excellent
Observations:
1. Came into town down from the bluff and is very inviting, nice entrance signs on the left
side, and then the burned down strip mall. We commented on the vivid hardware store
and the vacant mess that remains of the strip mall and its former bedding, furniture
store, grocery store and Sears. We decided the hardware store was truly a survivor of
bad times hit hard in PdC. Heading out of town this way the sign stated Viroqua was 47
miles…it never seemed that far when I was a child!
2. Always on left not on the driving side and located within the city limits quite a ways.
Suggestion is to move to outside of development and allow population signs to be
boundary marker for the city limits. South end sign appeared to be entrance to trailer
park. Suggestion to move entrance signage to the corner of Cabalas. Move Hwy. 27
sign to top of hill where the view of the city and bridge to Iowa is fantastic. This allows
one to anticipate a great river city ahead.
3. The PdC sign on 27 as you enter from the east. Located near the Fire Department. The
sign presented pretty well at this location. Who owns the metal pole building?
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OTHER ENTRANCES (airports, bike trails, boat landings, train stations, snowmobile trails):
Observations:
1. We finally discovered the Chamber office stuffed in the back on the Visitors center and
staffed that morning by what seemed to be a volunteer. We asked lots of questions
about town and got reasonable but not too exciting answers. So much literature in the
center it was hard to know what to look at first. Nice restrooms, big parking lot and lots
and lots of info….just overwhelming to see Door County stuff next to local things.
2. Marina looked busy. Airport was impressive for a town of this size.
3. Difficult to find signs for Villa Louis.
4. Boat landings – initially found a closed boat landing, but then we found some newer,
very nice boat landings. They appeared to be very steep though.
5. We noted plenty of snowmobile trails, and imagined those could be very nice in the
winter.
6. Good railroad access. Very jealous! River boat, river port and airport are substantial
local transportation advantages.
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Housing and Residential Areas
Drive through as many neighborhoods as possible, including the Downtown.
How would you rate the overall quality, affordability, and availability of housing in the
community?
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Poor
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Excellent
Average Team Score: 5.5
Quality
Rate using a 1-10 scale (10 is best/highest)
Average ratings for each:
5
Existing/Older Homes
7
New Homes
7
Housing for Seniors
5
Apartments/Rental Housing
5
Vacant lots for new homes
Observations:
1. Housing in the community: We drove the areas with schools and sought out the areas
around them to gauge the housing market and situation of homes for sale. First school
we looked at was the elementary school on the south side, poorly marked and far flung
from the center of town. Hardly any sidewalks or street signs…a general lack of signs
was noted all around town from the County Courthouse buildings to the schools, some
brown directional signs to the Villa Louis and not very many sidewalks and pedestrian
facilities anywhere. Not many houses for sale and those that were are small, dilapidated
and not very interesting historically. We wondered where the newer or high-end housing
was to be found?? Poor housing market and not very many realtors with good visible
offices. We found one older neighborhood with some distinctive homes and a quaint
back alley structure but we were not impressed with housing choices at all! Poor if you
were coming to town with a family to work at an up-and-coming new hospital, retail
business or big manufacturing plant.
2. As stated by one of our team “There is just no place to live if you have just started a job
or just out of college” - just a general lack of apartments and nice older homes to bring
back to life.
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3. We spied a vacant clinic type building near the pre-Civil War cemetery and behind it
another vacant historic structure of red brick. PdC seems to have lots of old historic
buildings that have been abandoned or left vacant. We called the Century 21 agent
listed on the sign and found that it was a vacant clinic. The building is 3730 sq. feet,
60 years old, 12 parking spots, zoned residential(?) and the asking price was $230K,
taxes $6,772 and this property would need a variance to be a commercial prospect. The
red brick building was stated to indeed be abandoned by Crawford County and had
once been offices. Two observations I made were that, the zoning must have been
confusing and poorly administered when the clinic was built in a residential
neighborhood in the later 60’s and that this was yet another old building just being
walked away from. Taxes and cost of the property seemed disproportionate. Noted later
that property taxes are very high in PdC.Century 21 lady could have at least asked my
name and contact numbers but she was happy to give me the info and missed a future
contact number!
4. An older stock of housing, much of it small and out of fashion. Older homes primarily
appeared to be poorly maintained. Homes in the 80’s to 2000’s period were nice and
located primarily in the southwest. Trailer homes in abundance.
5. Cheap houses should be an opportunity to young people. The region has a strong
employment base, which ought to attract buyers.
6. Much of the older housing stock appeared to be modest at its inception and has
suffered neglect as housing trends changed. It seems that the lack of appropriate
zoning regulations, open land for housing development, and expansion of tourism
contributed to the change of the residential character of older neighborhoods.
7. The newer homes seem to be mid-80’s to present. These homes seem fairly well cared
for and not for sale.
8. 50% would be ok, but I would never consider buying the other 50%
9. We had a difficult time finding homes for sale. Very little new construction. There
seemed to be several apartment options which appeared to be available for low income
families. Is professional housing available?
10. For the size of the community, there seems to be a lack of homes for sale, and certainly
a lack of range-of-quality homes for sale.
11. Quality and general maintenance of homes seemed to be an issue.
12. Boats in yards seemed a bit junky.
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Affordability
Is there an adequate mix of housing to suit a variety of income levels?
Observations:
1. There seems to be enough industry to support some newer housing.
2. Talked to a realtor about buying a home in the 150,000 to 250,000 range and was told
the older homes in the city were 100,000 and below. Very limited market for 150250,000 homes.
3. We talked to a ReMax agent about purchasing a home. The type and location
developed 12 units with little appeal. New construction was an option, but the lots were
even more limited. Discussion with realtor about people buying older homes for
weekend visits because of the low price.
4. Saw no high-end homes. We rated affordability at an 8. Some low-end but also some
nice quality homes that appeared affordable.
5. We could not find any new construction or professional housing.
6. The mid to low end homes seem well covered. There seems to be a lack of available
high end homes.
Availability
Rate using a 1-10 scale (10 is best/highest)
8
Existing/Older Homes
4
New Homes
5
Housing for Seniors
7
Apartments/Rental Housing
5
Vacant lots for new homes
Observations:
1. There is not an adequate mix of housing to suit a variety of income levels. Surrounding
township lands seem to hold the higher end housing and this development is limited in
my observation by the lack of access to utilities, such as water, sewer and electricity.
The terrain limits the available parcels to much access and creating septic systems is
very difficult. I reasoned this factor alone would hamper perching your home on a high
bluff with views of town and the rivers. We saw some apartment complexes but they
seemed to be mostly built in the 70-80’s and not many garage structures attached. Lots
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of mobile homes scattered on lots together all about town. I remember just one house
that stood out to me that was not for sale but looked interesting to me…this was a FL
Wright prairie style home with leaded windows, it appeared to be a rare bird in the mix
of other Victorian or bungalow type houses.
2.
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7.
There are many older homes for sale vs. newer builds.
Did not see empty lots for building new homes.
Wide range of apartments.
Very few homes for sale.
We could not find a realtor that was open to get housing information.
We saw quite a few apartments available; we did not see many upscale rentals (town
homes or condos). We also could not find the new homes.
8. Most of the homes for sale were from the 1930’s to the 1960’s – only 2-3 houses were
available with at least 3+ bedrooms.
What are the most appealing and least appealing features of the housing in this community?
Why?
1. It is a smaller community away from a major urban center; hence, the housing is very
affordable.
2. It would be hard to purchase a home with the intent of making substantial investments
and have the value hurt by surrounding properties.
3. Houses were older and small.
4. Most appealing: there were plenty of old trees, developed yards, large yards, and wellkept homes. Least appealing: the home developments seemed dated. There were some
unattractive mobile home parks.
5. Affordability was the most appealing, but the mostly lower end was least appealing.
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Please comment on the quality and availability of residential infrastructure (e.g., roads,
sidewalks, lighting, public transportation, bike trails/lanes, and green space, street trees,
yards):
1. Streets were fair and would generally score between 4 & 6. Sidewalks are
obviously not a local priority. Street trees were of a good quality and condition.
Didn’t notice any bike trails or lanes. There seem to be adequate green spaces.
2. Roads and lighting appeared adequate and well maintained. As for public
transportation, we saw one cab.
3. The road construction, while frustrating, indicated a desire to upgrade the area.
The historical sites had large, expansive green spaces. We saw several parks.
Sidewalks in the downtown area were older and uneven.
4. We saw taxis and small buses. We noticed the roads and sidewalks were well
maintained and lit. The bike trail looked very nice and there were plenty of large
parks.
5. Saw very few potholes!!
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Appeal Rating Category
How would you rate the overall appeal of housing to the following populations (1=Not
Appealing, 10 =Very Appealing):
3
Single young adults
5
Young families
6
Middle income
9
Senior citizen
5
Upscale/professional
Please comment on your observations:
1. It is less appealing to be away from a major urban center for young/professional people.
2. Saw no upscale professional income homes. Most homes appeared to be 2-3
bedrooms.
3. There seemed to be a lack of young, professional apartments. There appeared to be
plenty for young families and lower-income levels.
4. PdC seems to be the metro area and business hub, so we aren’t sure where the bulk of
employees and professionals live.
5. Seems like most workers live in Iowa? And weekend visitors/part time residents live in
PdC with less expensive housing.
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Education, Health, Social and Emergency Services
Education
Comment on the availability and appearance of schools.
Pre-school/Kindergarten/Head Start
1. Could not locate.
2. There were quite a few, so families likely have a lot of options, all of which looked nice.
3. Saw no signs of these programs.
Primary/Elementary/Middle School
1. Housing in the community: We drove the areas with schools and sought out the areas
around them to gauge the housing market and situation of homes for sale. First school
we looked at was the elementary school on the south side, poorly marked and far flung
from the center of town. Hardly any sidewalks or street signs…
2. Saw these facilities, but were not impressed with buildings, signage or playground
facilities
3. Beautiful school in a fantastic setting – no information regarding the quality of education
though.
4. No signage from the main streets. We needed to ask someone for directions and
explain what an elementary school was. The school was older.
5. The intermediate school looked newer and had a nice location below the hill.
6. Kennedy School: (see pictures)
7. There appears to be a new facility, but there is a lack of signage. We noted one private
school.
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6. Bluff View Intermediate School: Could use more signage for all schools.
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High School
1. This building had good signage but again was hard to find with road construction.
2. Limited signage. Appeared well kept and inviting.
3. Beautiful school in fantastic setting. No information regarding the quality of education.
4. We saw the nice, large facility.
5. The gym is beautiful, great lounge.
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College/University
1. Stopped and wondered a lot about the Wyalusing Academy and why it was abandoned
and what it had been and what was planned for the future. New section of Hwy 35
recently re-done below the school was sort of by-pass like. It had small bench and
landscape areas not well maintained and feeling very un-used by the walking
public…saw no walkers at all on our trip around town both mornings. We left school
impressions to team of educators the next day. It would be wonderful to preserve this
building.
2. Saw one outreach facility.
3. None observed.
4. Would be great to have a UW-extension or a tech college in PdC – lots of
manufacturing companies that could be helped by a tech college and training coming
out of that.
What do residents (young and old) think about the quality and availability of their local
schools?
1. The people I talked to thought highly of the schools.
2. The people seemed to take pride in their schools and speak highly of them.
Overall, how would you rate the adequacy of schools for a community of this size?
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Poor
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10
Excellent
Observations:
1. Overall, one private school and new public school.
2. All of the facilities seemed large and very nice.
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Health Care Services
Comment on the availability and apparent quality of healthcare facilities
Hospitals:
1. Doctors, dentist, optometrist, and other medical offices and clinics: We were impressed
at entry to the city to see this brand new hospital complex being built. Beautiful structure
and later we discovered the old hospital, still in service in the heart of town. We
wondered about the future of these buildings soon to be vacant. PdC must draw
patients from a wide area to have need for this new complex. Again we wondered
where are the health care workers going to live? Or do all commute from a distance?
We did not spot a clinic or other health care storefronts.
2. The Crossing Rivers facility appears to have a great presentation in town from
discussing with the locals.
3. Saw two hospitals which one assumes provides quality healthcare. However, this could
be a bad thing as the competition for a few patients could drive up costs as the new
hospital did when built – where two already existed in a nearby Wisconsin town.
4. Several health care facilities are clustered in one area. Facilities looked newer and well
maintained.
5. The current hospital seems small compared to the size of the surrounding clinics.
6. One of the challenges for PdC will be finding a new use for the old hospital.
7. The new hospital looks beautiful, and will be a real asset to the PdC community.
Physician, dentist, optometrist, and other medical offices and clinics:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Saw a number of clinics (4) and dental establishments.
Mayo Clinic on 27 at east entrance.
All centrally located.
The physicians seemed centered around the hospital, whereas the dentists,
ophthalmologists, and chiropractors seemed spread around town.
5. You are very lucky to have both Mayo and Gunderson Clinic!!
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Long-term care, assisted living, and nursing home facilities:
1. Saw one senior living complex.
2. Bluff Haven appears to be a very nice nursing home facility.
3. Senior care facilities were newer and appeared to be very well maintained. No
information regarding the patient/resident care. Exterior first impression was a 10.
4. Housing units had signage which would suggest that they were available for a variety of
ages and income levels.
5. Abundant
Other health services (e.g., Chiropractor, psychotherapy, naturopath, massage, etc.):
1. Did not make note of any of these service providers
2. We did not see any of these services
3. We did not see any psychologists/psychiatrists
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Overall, how would you rate the adequacy of health care services for a community of this size?
1
Poor
2
•
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Please comment:
1. A significant amount of money is being spent to provide a facility for the future to serve
a wide rural population, an hour in all directions to the next larger metro area. Being the
County seat it is my assumption that this is an adequate service for this community. If
you need eye wear you probably have to travel or go to a big box store. I would rate it
very good with this new institution coming soon.
2. Had a discussion with a few people in town during the visit, and they were very pleased
with services and the facilities.
3. All located in one area of town, but seems adequate.
Social Services
What social services (e.g., day care, senior center, counseling, etc.) are available in the
community?
1. One feature that impressed me was the Opportunities, Inc. building and buses there
which demonstrated the large area that they serve. This site was large and located on
the outskirts of town. We shared our lunch at a community café, which is the store front
for Opportunities Bakery I commented that that is a unique niche to fill with disabled
adults. It did not smell like a bakery, all yeasty and warm when we walked in but
featured homemade breads, rolls and a one main entrée and salad bar. Food was very
fresh and good and a homey atmosphere. We were the only ones stopping by for food?
There was a “driftless food group” meeting to plan an event but very few other lunch sit
down customers. We wondered if the local people support this effort to bring a different
twist to downtown? This seemed like a partnership and creative situation that needed to
be celebrated more.
2. Saw one senior center.
3. We saw one counseling center
4. We noted all of the above.
5. Noted from your website that most social services are contracted from outside vendors,
so it was difficult to assess your social services. How accessible are they?
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Civic
Are there a variety of not-for-profit organizations and clubs within the community?
1. I did not see a large number of non-profit organizations except Opportunities.
2. We noted a wide variety of civic organizations, denoting a caring, involved region.
3. There are many historical clubs in town due to its rich history. I’ve heard they work very
well in partnering with non-profit services.
4. Recognized Kiwanis, Rotary, Masons, and a strong historical society.
5. We saw a sign that there were flower pots donated by the Rotary. It was very faded and
hard to read – needs attention!
6. We only noted one sign – for the Kiwanis – but did not see any evidence of non-profit
involvement
Overall, how would you rate the level of nonprofit/civic services for a community of this size?
1
Poor
2
•
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Please comment:
1. We didn’t see any, so it is largely unknown.
Emergency Services
Overall, how would you rate the police, fire, ambulance, and emergency medical service
facilities? How do local residents feel about these services?
1. The facilities looked fairly modern and seemed adequate for the population.
2. The locals seemed very pleased with these services.
3. Facilities appeared adequate but in talking with people, there seemed to be a lack of
support to purchase equipment for the volunteer staff that is greatly needed.
4. The Sheriff and Police share one building and most likely share a jail, which seems
efficient.
5. We did not see any police while we were in the community. We did not talk to anyone
about these services.
6. Locals comments to us about the fire department not having proper funding for
equipment.
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1
Poor
2
•
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
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Local Economy
What is your impression of the health of the local economy?
1. Things are a bit off economically with the road construction and the beginning of Fall.
Not as many tourists yet to explore Fall colors but the motel we were to stay at was
posted ‘No Vacancy”. The AmericInn was busy and the breakfast rated highly. The
industries we drove past seemed busy with trucks hauling lumber and goods. Lots of
loading of grain and sand at the industrial area near the railroad tracks and on the river
bank into barges. Downtown was quiet but I would expect that on a week day.
Everything seemed a little “off” due to the road construction cutting the business, as we
drove all over the area. The road construction has to be limiting the success of local
business and residents to get to the businesses. Really was disappointing to have to
seek very hard to find your way around!!
2. It is a very good mix of manufacturing and government jobs. When manufacturing is
down, government jobs help stabilize town.
3. Prairie du Chien has one of Wisconsin's busiest ports on the Mississippi River. The river
was the base of the city’s origin and still effects industry and tourism. The city has a
large tourism economy that supports 63 motels. Prairie du Chien's economy is similar to
most Wisconsin cities of its size. Retail, service, and manufacturing jobs employ most of
the city's residents. Major employers include 3M and Cabela's. State and local
government are also major employers, as the city is the site of the Crawford County
courthouse and offices, as well as a state penitentiary. Two railroads and a small tworunway municipal airport make the city a transport and shipping hub for the area.
4. Not a lot of empty buildings for either retail or manufacturing. The area gives the feel of
a lower income community.
5. The sports stores, 3M, and Cabela’s are obviously the anchors of the community. We
saw “Now Hiring” signs at 3M. Some store fronts appeared available.
6. There appears to be good growth of new business and remodeling of some old
businesses. The store fronts are well-kept and inviting. The downtown shops have an
old charm and cuteness.
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Downtown
Explore and visit as many businesses as possible.
Could you locate the downtown easily? If not, why did you have difficulty finding it?
1. Back to the road construction cutting the district in half. It was easy to find the downtown
core and my first impression was that it is quaint and charming but no central theme or
consistence in the buildings. Some stores showed lots of concern for details but some
were rather poorly signed and badly re-faced. This seems consistent with many rural
small towns, some get historic identity and some could care less about these features.
We noticed new streetscape featuring handicapped-accessible curbs, traffic calming
bump outs and trees and planters. Some eyesore businesses like the small engine
repair shop and some very unique and large clothiers like Kozelka’s Men’s Store. We
wanted to find the City Hall and had a hard time picking it out from the other vacant
store fronts. Not good signage and not very welcoming inside but oh, my, the art work!!
The City Hall houses several large colorful murals done by a WPA artist in the
1930’s….these were a great surprise and are quite beautiful and a local treasure. They
seem to be an easily overlooked detail to those who view them daily. The City staffer
who greeted us was quick to make comments about the length of the time the
construction was taking and the complaints involved. She was explaining the troubles
they experienced with the new round-abouts. She politely answered our many questions
and knew that something was up with our visit and line of questions. We enjoyed the
historic house and its marker residing right in the middle of downtown and the fall
decorations on the curbs. We enjoyed the facttoids in the sidewalk cement noting
historic facts.
2. Very easy to access.
3. No – we entered on 18 from the east, and continued north on 35 and turned west on 27
to Main Street, where we turned north and the next stop sign was Blackhawk Street.
4. We picked up a map at the Visitor’s Center. We entered from the south and did not see
signs for downtown.
5. Even with the construction, we had no problem finding downtown or any location we
wanted to go to.
Rate and comment on the overall appearance of the downtown (buildings, displays, signage,
streetscape).
1
Poor
2
•
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
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Comments:
1. Needs work and participation by all building owners. More distinctive and better signage
all the way around especially on the public buildings. City Hall seems intentionally
hidden and lacking in signage. Some vacant buildings and some very well kept
storefronts.
2. Mostly good streetscaping.
Rate and comment on the variety of shopping in the downtown.
1
Poor
2
•
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Comments:
1. Good but not stellar variety of shops, restaurants, bars and mixed businesses. Very
unique to have so many clothing stores and a vast selection. The core of downtown will
need some reason to pull together to improve after the construction is complete. Cash
flow after this event will undoubtedly be hard to come by to implement improvements,
My heart goes out to those affected by the construction!! Can business be any more
difficult and then to sustain through this!
2. My thoughts as a long-time retailer:
a. Had lunch at the bakery/café, enjoyed the food and fellowship in this homey
atmosphere. Needs to smell more like a bakery? Perhaps bake something there
to demo to the public what is really going on inside. I think the lettuce on the
salad bar was hydroponically grown…another industry for Opportunities?
Customer service was great, we needed to have the lunch process explained to
us as we were not locals but tourists. Makes perfect sense…one entry and salad
bar and breads galore. I would love to see this concept in Lake Mills.
b. City Hall: Signage. Do something to feature those paintings, paint the walls or
showcase them in some special way…they are a treasure. Preserve them but
show them off.
c. Prada’s Shoe Store: A step back in time for me…so very reminiscent of my
Aunt and Uncle’s shoe store in Viroqua. The same smell, the same displays, the
great merchandise and the same quality. Love that double front window. So
many nice things and so much nostalgia for me…but no PF Flyers did I buy.
d. Quilt and Candy Store: Did not go in but heard lots of comments from our
teams on the diversity of the merchandise … whatever it takes!
e. Wall Street: Did not see a sign but the window display drew me inside. Loved
the lines and recognized a number of the brands of high end ladies ready to
wear. Tried on and purchased a sweater. Enjoyed conversation with the owner
and he showed us the mural he is contemplating having painted on one of his
buildings. The mural is representational of the Jesuit Boys School “Campion”
which helped me solve the mystery of what the State Correctional Institute was
before it was owned by the state. We remarked on the site of the old school and
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all the razor wire. This facility is so scary looking, but it has the best sign in town!
We enjoyed our visit with the owners of Wall Street and I am sure they knew we
were not a couple and that we were very inquisitive, not just your ”run of the mill”
visitors! They were insightful and answered our questions and explained of the
highlights and challenges of downtown PdC. They were helpful suggesting where
we would eat that evening.
f. Kozelka’s Men’s Store: Wow…what a nice mix of merchandise and great brand
names and selection. Even some women’s clothes. These folks have been at it a
long, long time. They have some serious cowboy trade and many dedicated
regulars. We enjoyed the atmosphere and the staff was very helpful. Wonder
how a shop like this can compete in the ”chain store” world we live in.
3. There were many nice Mom & Pop shops downtown that made a nice feel for visitors.
4. The buildings seem full with a diverse range of independent businesses.
5. Saw a music store, TV electronics store, boot & shoe store, bakery (2) that we wouldn’t
have expected. City seemed self-contained regarding the variety of shops and products.
6. We did expect a larger downtown, but felt the variety of retail was good. There seemed
to be a low number of service businesses downtown. We found many of the stores
unique to downtown. Some were trendy, some were old-fashioned, which is a nice mix.
7. There were some businesses at the edges of downtown that did not blend with the
downtown. The business in the following picture should fence and pave the area. Some
of the back areas were not well maintained.
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Rate and comment on the customer service you received in the downtown.
1
Poor
2
•
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Comments:
1. Great service as they were not “big box” stores.
2. All merchants were friendly and helpful.
3. Clerks were friendly and helpful.
4. People were friendly and helpful at all retail stores and restaurants.
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Rate and comment on the signage in the downtown.
1
2
•
Poor
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Comments:
1. A general lack of signs was noted all around town from the County Courthouse
buildings to the schools, some brown directional signs to the Villa Louis and not very
many sidewalks and pedestrian facilities anywhere.
2. Very appealing
3. The downtown signage is individualistic and eclectic. City Hall was the most discreetly
marked building on the street.
4. Signage is adequate, but not many of the stores have their street numbers posted,
which was difficult for us.
5. Finding city offices was challenging. Was that by design?
Rate and comment on the window displays in the downtown.
1
2
•
Poor
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Comments:
1. Very nice window displays. Very personal touches.
2. I don’t read window signs. I know what I want before I head out and only go
where I plan to go.
3. 50/50 – could do more to enhance window displays
4. Most were nice, but some were a bit dated
5. Most retail seems geared to the older consumer
Rate and comment on the variety and quality of merchandise in the downtown.
1
Poor
2
•
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Quality seems good. Seems lacking in clothing for women up to age 40-50, as well as youth.
Comment on the mix of facilities and services in the downtown (housing, professional services,
retail, recreation, accommodation and food, industry, parks, etc.).
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Comments:
1. Very nice coffee shop, café and restaurant with local shops.
2. Great retail mix
3. We assumed that there were apartments above the downtown businesses, and
there were several place to eat, and even more bars in a centralized area.
Several nice gift shops.
4. Seems strong in retail. That’s good.
Rate and comment on the quality and availability of parking in the downtown.
1
2
•
Poor
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Comments:
1. Very easy parking and access.
2. There was plenty of parking on and off street while we were there.
3. Lacks public parking lot. Free street parking a plus. Noted that some businesses
had their own parking.
4. Very easy to park.
Rate and comment on the quality (appearance, adequacy, etc.) of lighting in the downtown.
1
Poor
2
•
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Comments:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Your lighting was recently updated!
Was not there at the time the lights would be on.
Nice antique lights – functional score not available
Has an old-time style, which is really nice.
Does the downtown play a role in tourism? Is there potential for the downtown to play a greater
role?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Absolutely! Any downtown has room for improvement, including PdC.
Most businesses in PdC depend on and play a role in tourism.
Yes
Yes, there could be a greater role. We saw 7 tour buses at Villa Louis. When we
spoke to business owners, they said that those tourists do not come downtown
and they seemed surprised to know that there were so many people in town.
5. I think the downtown is its own attraction.
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Describe the residential housing mix in the downtown (apartment, single detached).
1. Predominantly above the shops.
2. None seen
3. Note a lot of places to live downtown – but that’s typical.
Would you find the downtown to be a desirable place to live? Please comment.
1. Yes, I would. But more restaurants would be needed.
2. Yes, if single or just married/empty nester or no children couple – not if I had
children
3. Of the areas in the city, it may be the best choice, but it was rather dull.
4. It could be a draw for some, but there is not enough uniqueness to detract from
the fact that most services would not be in walking distance.
Were there any government or nonprofit organization activities that are serving as traffic
generators for the downtown (city hall, post office, YMCA)?
1. The City Hall was downtown and the County buildings were just off the
downtown. The Villa Louis helps feed traffic into downtown.
2. Yes – City Hall and the US Post Office
3. The Post Office was close to downtown. The city building is in the general area.
Newer building.
4. Library seemed small for the size of the community
5. County buildings
6. Library
General Information About Overall Retail
Describe the mix of retail shopping available (malls, specialty shops, strip malls, big box
stores).
1. We focused on downtown local shops. We did not spend much time on the
outskirts of town where the big box stores were located.
2. The downtown seemed heavily service-oriented with financial institutions,
government offices, restaurants and bars.
3. Visited Cabela’s – typical – very nice and over-priced. Walmart too – and it was
Walmart…
4. Burned out mall area – a rat-infested dead zone. Locals very upset that it had not
been cleaned up in a timely manner. Another strip mall had a lackluster
appearance and was non-inviting.
5. For a town of this size, we thought that this is definitely the shopping area for the
region. Lots of shopping.
6. Large mix
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What retail goods do local residents appear to need to travel to surrounding communities for?
1. Unknown, but several residents suggested they travel to La Crosse or Madison
to shop.
2. We wondered where to buy a car or where to buy appliances. Is there a movie
theater?
3. Department clothing stores (women and children)
What stores or services were missing that you would expect to find?
1. Outfitters for more tourist activities like kayaks, canoes, other outdoor sports.
2. Did not see a pizza restaurant downtown, nor a laundry mat or pet supply store.
3. Walmart probably covered most needs, but we were wondering about larger
ticket items.
4. Law office and banks
5. Cultural amenities – more pizza places – lack of “culture” (theater, music, etc.)
What retail stores or services did you find that were unusual or unexpected for a town of this
size?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
There was still a local appliance store!
Not one but two bakeries!
Tack store for horse supplies
A beautiful fabric store
Shoe store
Boat shop (not the shop itself, but its location being downtown rather than along
the river)
7. Large number of sports apparel stores
8. The athletic apparel stores were delightful
9. Cinema
What store(s) in this community would you travel a distance of more than 30 miles to
patronize?
1. Not stores, but historical sites
2. None. But I am not a shopper
3. Tack shop, fabric shop, Cabela’s
4. The Cannery
5. Cabela’s, athletic stores, the Cannery
6. Cabela’s
Rate and comment on the overall condition of the retail sector
1
Poor
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2
•
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
38
Comments:
1. Please note all these comments are coming from a critical seasoned retail merchant
with a sharp eye and a tongue to match….please take all as constructive and useful
comments for future use and sharing.
a. Peebles: The name alone sparked my curiosity…a small chain I assume. A large
department like store with good signage and mixed wares at reasonable prices.
We would compare this store to a regional Kohl’s Department Store in our area.
Always offering discounts and a wide variety of middle of the road priced
merchandise.
b. Tractor Supply: Linked in the Mall with Peebles a great place to shop for rural
apparel and supplies. They all look the same and I imagine it serves a large area.
I would compare this to a Farm and Fleet in our area but smaller.
c. WI DMV: Driver’s license and exam center and office a key in this mall to the
traffic. A perfect place for a shop to fill young people’s needs? Just an idea…
d. Beverage Mart: I loved the vintage Schlitz finger pointing sign…very unique! I
love these automatic doors and the huge selection of wine, beer and liquor. A
one stop shop for river fun! They were posted to be closed for inventory that
evening but it was very clean and tidy and the help and facilities looked well
thought out and the tasting area a special attraction. Why go anywhere else for
party supplies…it’s all there and well-priced and signed! Saw a variety of Corona
Beer I have never seen before!
e. Cheapo Depot: Who can resist a comment on this small chain store! I learned
that there are 3 Cheap Depots in WI. Mostly fireworks but a smattering of cheap
household goods and tools. I bought some inexpensive but fun Halloween
decorations for 99 cents! The big draw for us was the Amish farm market next
door where we bought apples and fall fun things. A natural partnership between
the two stores. The sales lady in the Cheapo Depot commented to me when
asked if she lived in PDC…”No way, I live in IOWA! She also mentioned at my
questioning that the really busy time was over the summer holidays with
fireworks sales. The sweet Amish girl and her 5 year old spoke mostly broken
German and we did not ask where their home was. The apples and veggies were
all home grown and nicely displayed.
f. Skin Gallery: A tattoo parlor, loved the name! Signage needs work.
g. Tiller Furniture: Nice building but sort of un-welcoming entrance. Rare to have
two major stores in a small town, they are both very far apart to comparison
shop.
h. Ashley Furniture: Nice store, great brand recognition but I pity them trying to
survive this road construction. Small furniture is tough, tough business. Ashley is
one of the very few furniture makers left in WI, if they survive the construction,
the highway is at their doorstep.
i. The Cannery: Never in my retail life have I seen such a huge amount of giftware
merchandise. Being a retailer this both delighted me and scared me!! So much,
of so much….and then so much more! I admit I bought some “stuff” for gifts. The
restoration and grounds were well done and the displays top of the line…but
again so much of a good thing! I hope these stores will quickly recover from the
construction.
j. Cabela’s: The store was beautifully landscaped and lit and well-appointed with a
greeter to direct you to the features of the big store. The displays are well done
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and well maintained. I find all the animals a little bit of “over kill,” but after all… it
is their wilderness theme! I loved the historic photos and the beautifully
appointed bathroom…a wow factor! I needed some new shoes and quickly found
a pair that fit. I bought the shoes and two pair of socks and had a great time. I
like this kind of retail theme park. I walked on the deck of a $30K pontoon boat
while my “husband” talked on his cell phone. I am sure they do a good deal of
business with folks like us choosing to visit the store as their destination in PdC.
We drove the parking lot of the distribution center and found many Iowa plates
along with those from Wisconsin. The most disappointing thing was to head back
south on 35 and not really know where to go from the ROAD CLOSED sign. Very
bad signage on the 35 turn off to detour. No pathway to downtown at all.
2. Seems lacking in big box stores or a department store. We aren’t sure if a town this size
needs that, but we also can’t find a close alternative.
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Other Retail Shopping Areas
(e.g. Malls, Big Box stores, etc.):
If applicable, explore other retail shopping areas outside of the downtown business district and
visit as many businesses as possible.
Retail Area #1
Type (Shopping mall etc.):
Location: Blackhawk Junction – I understand that this site is scheduled for redevelopment.
And this is what I called a real contrast in commercial facilities. Cannery and antique shop.
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Rate and comment on the overall appearance.
1
2
•
Poor
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Comments:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Very diverse appearance.
Some areas very jumbled and junky in appearance (see pictures on next page)
Driveways bad in some commercial areas
Hard to tell Do It Best is a hardware store – not very attractive setting/buildings
Rate and comment on the variety of shopping.
1
2
•
Poor
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Rate and comment on the customer service of businesses you visited.
1
Poor
2
•
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Comments:
1. We were well served in the gas station, restaurant and visitor’s center.
2. Seems like outside downtown it is just Cabela’s and Walmart
3. Everyone was fantastic. Very helpful, most had tourism suggestions for spending
the day in town. Very friendly community.
4. The uses and styles of structures were outside the normal planning spectrum.
The off-street parking, driveways, setbacks and design features insinuated little
to no planning or zoning.
5. There were plenty of little gift and décor shops. We did not see any t-shirt shops
or a place to get PdC tourist gear (e.g., a coffee cup, t-shirt, etc.)
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Local Industries
Consider industries only within or adjacent to the community.
What are the major industrial sectors in the community (e.g., manufacturing, construction,
transportation)?
1. Manufacturing and shipping as it is a major port on the Mississippi.
2. Manufacturing, government and medical
3. 3M, Cabela’s, lumber and manufactured housing
Who do you think are the major employers in the community?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
3M, Cabela’s, county government
3M and Cabela’s are the largest employers
The health care industry
3M, Cabela’s
3M, Cabela’s, lumber and manufactured housing
What are the major types of manufacturing in the community?
1.
2.
3.
4.
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3M – adhesives, abrasives, laminates
The correctional facility, schools, county and city are major employers
We noted many Iowa license plates in the company parking lots
3M, Cabela’s, lumber and manufactured housing
44
What are the major types of primary industry in the community (e.g. agriculture, mining,
forestry or fishing)?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Manufacturing and shipping
Sport fishing is a major draw to outsiders and locals alike
Manufacturing
Manufacturing and tourism
Is the community noticeably dependent on any one type of industry? If so please comment:
1. Shipping (Cabela’s)
2. Not that we noticed. There seems to be a diversity due to the regional draw from
Iowa and surrounding areas.
3. 3M, Cabela’s
4. 3M appeared to be the largest
Is there a well defined industrial park or improved land where industries could locate or
expand?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
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Yes
Not that I noticed
Very spread out
Lack of zoning
The industrial park seemed to bleed into the residential area
Is there poor zoning for industrial businesses?
Yes
45
Are the industrial facilities well maintained?
1. Yes
2. The larger ones are. The smaller businesses that we passed as we tried to get
around the construction seemed less well maintained.
3. I really wasn’t impressed with the appearance of any of the industrial facilities
and some were bad.
4. Yes
5. See photo below – abandoned blighted building/old facility on Hwy 18 coming in
from the south along a beautiful highway, right before the beautiful welcome
center.
Would this community be an attractive location for industrial development? Why or why not?
1. The railroad and river make PdC a very attractive community at first blush. The
low cost housing should catch manufacturing’s eye. The availability of employees
is the biggest issue along with competition for housing with weekenders.
2. We think that there is limited housing for workers and management. We are not
sure that this would be a desirable area to draw young professionals.
3. Yes. I would think the railways would be a big incentive. We couldn’t find much
space for future industrial.
4. Little pockets of industry all over – speaks to lack of zoning!
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Commercial Services
What types of commercial businesses serve the local community (high-speed internet provider,
print shops, etc.)?
1. We did not see these services.
2. We observed print shops, Verizon, and Dish Network. Although for Verizon being there,
the cell signal was not good.
What commercial services appear to be missing in the community?
1. An electronics store.
Professional Services
Are banks and ATMs conveniently located? Do the banks have convenient hours of service?
1. Yes
2. We didn’t see more than one bank.
How would you rate the adequacy of financial services for a community of this size?
1
Poor
2
•
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Please Comment:
1. There were many financial institutions in town.
What other professional services are available (accounting, insurance, legal, etc.)? Are there
any apparent gaps?
1. We did not notice any gaps.
2. There appeared to be these services in the downtown area.
3. We did not see a single law office, which we found odd for the county seat. We
did not find any insurance or accounting services either.
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Tourism
Does the community have a strong tourism sector? Please comment:
1. Yes, it is a major historical center.
2. Probably a third of the jobs in the city are in retail or in hospitality – the two
lowest-paying sectors of the city’s economy.
3. Yes – the river seems to be a large pull
Does the community have a slogan/brand?
1. Famous French fur trading settlement.
2. Second-oldest city in Wisconsin.
3. We understood, from a local merchant, that “Driftless” is in the works for
branding.
4. No
Is the community well known for an attraction or event?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Fur trading settlement.
Yes – several
Yes! Villa Louis!
Rendezvous
Eagle watching
Wyalusing State Park
Equestrian park in the bluffs
Effigy State Mounds State Park
What have you seen that could be developed into a tourist attraction (natural or man-made)?
1. The river area? Expansion of the Cabela’s facility?
Rate and comment on the quality and appearance of existing tourist attractions.
1
Poor
2
•
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
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Comments:
1. The historical attraction in PdC would bring me back several more times. The
condition and operation is pretty good in a cash-strapped state.
2. Some of the historic buildings at the park seemed a bit run down, but some were
very well maintained.
Do you consider any of the attractions to be underdeveloped? Please comment.
1.
2.
3.
4.
No, they are well done and maintained.
No – they seem to take pretty good advantage and care of them.
Could be more B&Bs
No signage at the main park as to when tours were conducted, and what the
different buildings are or were. We would have liked a sign telling us why the
museum was on stilts.
Are there any community events that could be expanded/developed to be a tourist attraction?
Please specify:
1. How about the return of the riverboat line?
2. No
Comment on the availability and selection of overnight accommodations in the community
(hotels, motels, campgrounds, B&Bs).
1. They are plentiful, including a very cool B&B!
2. Lots of motels, but only saw one B&B
3. Large variety of options
Are there facilities to accommodate a conference and/or a large number of visitors?
1. We did not see any. We understand that the Villa Louis has the Dousman Center.
2. We did not notice any large enough. The hotels seemed too small.
Is there a Visitor’s Center, Chamber of Commerce office, or other facility serving the needs of
tourists? Please comment on staff, facilities, signage, marketing material, maps, etc.
1. The Chamber of Commerce is very engaged in town.
2. Yes – the Visitor’s Center is very nice with the Chamber tucked in the back.
Depending on how you enter the city, it may or may not be easy to find. Staff was
friendly. Materials were for the region, not just the city.
3. Yes. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The map of the city could use
attractions instead of just street names. We found out later we never made it to
the back room where the Chamber was. It was very unclear that we were not at
the Chamber.
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Rate and comment on the customer service of Chamber/Visitor Center staff:
1
2
•
Poor
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Comments:
1. We finally discovered the Chamber office stuffed in the back on the Visitors center and
staffed that morning by what seemed to be a volunteer. We asked lots of questions
about town and got reasonable but not too exciting answers. So much literature in the
center it was hard to know what to look at first. Nice restrooms, big parking lot and lots
and lots of info….just overwhelming to see Door County stuff next to local things.
2. Volunteer was very helpful. She was quite busy but still make it a point to speak to
everyone who came in.
3. Visitors Center was a lot of fun…very well set up with tons of info, staffed by a volunteer
who when asked if she liked living in PdC stated: ”Oh my no! I live in Ferryville!” LOL…
Several folks when questioned about how they liked PdC, stated that they lived
somewhere else and just worked here. The cashier at Cabela’s when I asked where he
lived, stated that he lived in PdC and this “was a job.” Did not seem to be much
ownership in the community from these frontline retail folks.
4. An individual came and asked if we needed anything and answered our questions.
Restaurants
Comment and rate the quality of restaurants:
Quality
1
Poor
2
•
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Comments:
1. More “downtown!”
2. Dined at the Steakhouse. Simply outstanding food and the service was topnotch.
3. Simply had awesome food and service at the establishments we visited.
4. Pretty traditional fare.
5. Need more pizza restaurants.
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Variety/Mix of Restaurants
1
Poor
2
•
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
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Comments:
1. There was one really nice coffee shop, café, restaurant downtown. PdC just
needs more of this type of place!
2. This is a tourism-oriented community and there is a high number of restaurants. I
couldn’t comment on the mix.
3. We found a mix of fast food, but didn’t see a high-end steakhouse.
What do local residents recommend on where to stay, eat, and visit? One way to do this is to
ask questions: “I have only one hour (half a day, etc.) in this community, what would you
recommend?” or “where would you recommend we stay/eat?”
1. The person I asked, recommended the Hungry House, Coach House and the
Huckleberry. I asked about a place to eat breakfast.
2. It was recommended that we go to the Hungry something for breakfast – we went
– it was just average.
3. It was recommended that we cross over to Iowa to go to Pike’s Peak. It had an
excellent overlook of the river. However, by crossing the river, we drove through
McGregor, which was a very interesting little river town. There were many
tourists, the town was bright and attractive. Since it was just 5 miles from PdC,
this would be the town we would choose to spend time in should we come back
to this area.
4. Simply was recommended. Shopping on Blackhawk, Vilas Park, and the Cannery
were all recommended.
What local restaurant, specialty shop or attraction would bring you back to this community in
the near future?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
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The historical sites!
The annual events
Pikes Peak (in Iowa), Cabela’s, the athletic stores, the Cannery
Civil War hospital and museum
Cemetary
River boat rides
None. The distance for us is prohibitive. We would stop if we were in the local
area, but would not make a special trip.
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Government/Public Services
Local Government Information
Are municipal offices conveniently located?
Please comment:
1. Yes – very noticeable downtown.
2. City Hall right on Blackhawk Street downtown. Building was very discreetly
marked. Took me a while to locate the building based on maps and signage.
Eventually had to stop in the library to ask.
3. Yes – I liked that City Hall was in the old downtown area
4. Nice new building
5. Yes, the municipal offices were close to downtown.
How would you rate the availability and quality of the following information provided by the
municipal government?
Community brochure/guide:
1
2
•
Poor
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Comments:
1. We were very impressed with the brochures that the Visitor Center had, but City
Hall was not prepared with the information – they should just direct those
inquiries to the Visitor Center.
2. There was a lot of literature and documents available.
3. The government offices were sorely lacking in printed information – most of this
info was located at the Visitor Center.
4. Which community brochure? There were so many!
5. We loved the Dining Guide
Business Directory:
1
Poor
2
•
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
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Comments:
1. Didn’t look for a business directory when I visited City Hall. I asked questions of
the staff.
2. Most info provided at the Visitor’s Center. When asked, the staff member had to
hunt for a while.
3. Found the directories very helpful
4. We were not able to obtain a packet for new business inquiries. Do you have
something prepared to give to businesses thinking about locating in PdC?
Community Profile (including business and industrial sites):
1
Poor
2
•
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
If applicable, were you able to find adequate information to make informed retail, commercial
and/or industrial business investment decisions? (Answer only if you played the role of a
potential business investor).
Comments:
1. 3 TIF districts
2. City has been moving small industry into the TIF districts.
3. Owners talked favorably regarding being moved and the
help received from the city.
4. Not much can be done in the near future due to
expenditure restraints due to Cabalas.
5. Downtown has revolving loan fund and an overall city
revolving loan fund mostly for existing business
expansion use.
6. City will transfer land for a single dollar and help with
inter-structure costs providing the type of business and
number of employees meets city criteria.
7. Only three small manufacturing sites (buildings) were
seen available.
8. City hall staff and city planner very friendly and helpful.
However, the front desk staff didn’t have a clue what to
do when I asked about gaining information about light
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manufacturing in PdC. They should know who to send
me to without hesitation to provide help and a good first
impression.
9. South side industrial park has no sign indicating its
existence.
10. Nine-hole golf course and marina were a big positive.
11. Huge number of trailer courts with some upscale trailer
vacation homes. While not the most aesthetic, they are
no doubt what people want and are confined to the north
side in one general area. (How much business doe these
home bring to the PdC economy?).
12. Historical district: great tourist attraction and offers
employment to the local area.
13. Correctional facility had condos located next to it, which
we thought was interesting.
14. Design Homes appeared to employ a number of
employees – as did 3M. (Question: how much spending
do the Iowa employees provide PdC?) (Question: how
many small businesses supply Design Homes?)
How would you rate the helpfulness of government employees?
1
2
•
Poor
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Public Infrastructure
Comment on and rate each of the following for quality accessibility, or availability where
relevant.
Public Transportation:
1
Poor
2
•
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
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Comment:
1. Observed one cab, indicating a cab service is being provided to the
community.
2. We saw taxis and a bus tour.
Sidewalks:
1
2
•
Poor
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Comment:
1. Sidewalks were in the older parts of the city, but they seemed to be poorly
maintained.
2. We didn’t specifically notice the sidewalks, which is a good thing. We did notice
some grass growing on the side streets, which are not appealing.
Streets:
1
Poor
2
•
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Comments:
1. Downtown streets just redone.
2. Fair to poor. Major highways in excellent condition. Side streets not so much.
3. Under current construction, but will be very nice when completed.
Landscaping, Street Trees:
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1
2
•
Poor
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Comments:
1. Nicely done in the last year.
2. I thought the street trees and landscaping appropriate for a city of this size and
location.
3. Very impressed with the age of the trees. You could see around them though,
when you needed to.
Public Restrooms:
1
2
•
Poor
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Comments:
1. Updates recently done.
2. We did not see any.
Street Signage:
1
Poor
2
•
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Comment:
1. Because of the construction, signage was confusing at best. Did not think directional
signage was well-thought-out
2. We found what we needed to. Signage navigating the construction zone was good.
3. Construction made things confusing, so it would be nice to assess regular signage after
the construction is complete.
4. Because of a lack of cell phone service, and inability to use GPS on our phones, street
signage was even more critically important to getting around PdC for visitors.
Pay phones, drinking fountains, benches, public Internet access points, other misc:
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Comment:
1. I didn’t notice any unusual issues, some signage was old and near needing
replacement.
2. Internet service was shabby all over town. Most businesses had wireless
passwords. Since we had spotty 3G, it would have been nice to have more
access to WiFi.
3. Benches and bike path along split new road (35/18) were very nice. Great
benches in the park along the river and Dousman Living.
Planning
Do you see conflicting land uses in the community (e.g., a residential subdivision next to a pulp
mill)? Please comment:
1. No.
2. I know that PdC has a planner. From my perspective, there was a substantial
amount of conflicting ideas. The local redevelopment plan and where the
community is at with the implementation of the plan can affect this appearance.
The city’s expectations regarding land use may deviate from the norm. The two
rivers, bluffs, and towns may add to this problem through unknown constraints.
3. No
Are all land uses appropriate (commercial, residential, green space etc.)? Specify where land
uses are not appropriate:
1. Yes
2. This would be difficult to determine when I didn’t know the city’s zoning plan and
the state of redevelopment within the city. It certainly appeared to be disjointed
and unplanned. Any city as old as PdC is going to have conflicting land uses.
3. Yes. The river is possibly not as developed as it could be.
Did you experience traffic congestion anywhere?
1.
2.
3.
4.
No
No
No! The town was very quiet.
No
If yes, location:
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Comment:
1. Two new round-abouts with major highway construction and still no traffic. It was
a weekday during working hours when we visited. I assume weekends during the
summer will have more traffic.
Are community facilities and infrastructure generally accessible for people with disabilities?
Please comment.
1. Yes
2. Yes, except the museum on stilts.
Does the community appear to be pedestrian/bike friendly?
1.
2.
3.
4.
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Yes
No
Yes – because of the limited traffic
Yes
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Recreation, Faith, Culture and Heritage
Recreation
Facilities
Comment on the availability & appearance of each of the following types of recreational
facilities. Rate each type of facility.
Parks:
1
Poor
2
•
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Comment:
1. Beautiful parks!
2. There was a big, beautiful park by downtown. It could use better signage though.
3. We visited Lawler and Michigan Street parks. The city seemed to have adequate
park space that was fairly well maintained.
4. Some neighborhood parks looked a bit rundown.
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Public recreation facilities:
1
2
•
Poor
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Comment:
1. We saw a sign for equipment rentals, but not sure where to find them.
Private recreation facilities:
1
Poor
2
•
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Comment:
1. We did see a golf course on the outside of town
2. RV park was off main street and right out of town. It was not very attractive, because the
vehicles were so close to the road.
Based on your impression, what do people in this community appear to do for recreation/fun?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Outdoor activities/waterway activities
Boat, hunt, fish
Baseball, soccer, pool, river activities?
Go to the park and participate in outdoor activities.
What recreational facility (private or public) in this community surprised you?
1. The public pool was very nice.
2. Nice children’s play area (Imagination Station)
What recreational activities or facilities seemed to be missing?
1. None
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Rate the overall suitability of the recreational facilities for each of the following populations
using a 1-10 scale (10 is best):
Rating Category
7
Senior citizens
9
Families
8
Singles, young adults
9
Teens
9
Children (12 and under)
Entertainment
What does the community do for entertainment?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Outdoor/waterway activities
Unknown
We could not tell
There was bowling and a cinema, outdoor activities, but the bar life did seem
limited. Where are the big bars? We also found mini-golf and go-carting.
5. Did not see anything “cultural” – music, live theater, art – where do people go for
cultural entertainment?
What entertainment opportunities do residents feel they lack?
1. Movie theater
2. The resident we asked couldn’t pinpoint what she wanted, but felt like there was
not a lot to do in town.
Does the community have a vibrant nightlife? Please comment:
1. Yes – there are many bars downtown
2. There seemed to be several interesting bars
3. Unknown
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Faith/Religion
Comment on the number, appearance, and selection of denominations in the community.
1. Many denominations in town.
2. We noted several Christian churches and a Catholic school
3. There were a large variety of churches, some fairly new and some older
Are there any outstanding architectural or design features found on the religious buildings you
visited?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Nothing popped out.
St. Gabriel’s Church
No
No
Please rate the religious buildings and denominations represented in this community.
1
Poor
2
•
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
Comments:
1. Many kinds
2. Primarily Protestant churches and Catholic churches
3. All were well-maintained
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Culture and Heritage
Does the community hold any events (festivals)? Which events are held annually?
1. The Prairie Villa Rendezvous – enactment of 19th century fur trading camp
2. Villa Louis Bald Eagle Weekend, St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Prairie Villa
Rendezvous, Zeb Pike & the War of 1812
3. Eagle Day
What events are popular with residents?
1. Dropping of the Carp; New Year’s Celebration
Do the residents feel there is a lack of community events?
1. No
Does the community have historical buildings or places? Are they well maintained?
1. The cemetery is rich with history and is charming and unique with raised monuments
and cast iron gate and the most charming setting. Again not much signage as to who
maintains it or its history or why it is set in this particular place.
2. Many, and very well maintained
3. Ah, yes – lots of them! The sites are fairly well maintained. Twenty-seven significant
historical sites!
4. Yes – several – and well maintained
5. Yes. There seems to be plenty of historical buildings, but some are not well-maintained.
That being said, some are wonderfully maintained.
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General Observations
Role Playing
The following questions may be assigned to individuals. (Record comments and responses
from residents.)
Would you consider this community as a suitable location for a young family? Why or why not?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Yes – great place to raise a family.
This seems to be a community for the young, lower-to-middle income market
Yes – traditional family values and beautiful setting.
Yes. There was manufacturing and industrial work to support the family. Housing
seemed reasonably priced but not too desirable. The community has good
schools and great parks.
Would you consider locating your retail or service business here? Why or why not?
1. Unknown. The lack of service businesses would make us nervous to open a service
business in PdC. Why isn’t there competition?
2. Seems like such a low-income community – could this community support my
business?
Would you consider locating a manufacturing business here? Why or why not?
1. Yes – access to easy shipping
2. Yes – it seems there is a strong workforce here, plus railroad accessibility
3. Yes – but concern about workforce availability
Would you consider this a suitable location for a retired person? Why or why not?
1. Yes – good cost of living
2. Yes – many services
3. Yes. There was a large variety of housing for elderly and must be plenty of peers
available.
Would you consider this a suitable location for a young adult? Why or why not?
1. Yes – great outdoor activities
2. Not sure there are high-end professional jobs here. Cell/internet is a problem and
it’s too long of a commute to larger cities.
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Would you consider visiting this community as a tourist? Why or why not?
1. Yes – historical places are great!
2. I have been a tourist to the city before, and would again. There is a lot of history
that can’t be experienced in one visit.
3. Absolutely – lots of history – beautiful at “color time”
4. Yes. We would come back for the eagles and outdoor activities.
5. There is a lack of cultural events for younger professionals that would draw me
back to PdC.
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Information from Community Residents
Comment on the quality of information and assistance provided by residents and employees of
local businesses.
Were community residents knowledgeable about their community?
1. Yes
2. The people I spoke to were rather knowledgeable about the community.
3. Yes
Did they refer you to someone else who would help?
1. Yes
2. No
In general, did residents you spoke with have a positive or negative attitude toward their
community? Why? Did you sense community pride?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Yes – much pride!
The responses I heard were rather negative towards the city.
Homeowners thought taxes were too high
Very very positive comments. One woman was closing a store due to low sales
and was very very sad about this. Everyone we met was very outgoing and
friendly.
5. Yes – even a very young store clerk was positive about the things to do and see.
6. Many residents were unhappy with the loss of the Main Street Program and the
politics between Main Street and the City of PdC.
Did residents identify a particular issue (e.g. safety) to be of major concern?
1. No
2. Low tourism in the downtown area
3. Finding rental property
Overall, how would you rate the quality of information from community residents and business
employees?
1
Poor
2
•
3
•
•
4
•
5
•
6
•
•
7
•
8
•
9
•
•
10
Excellent
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Please comment:
1. Very engaged and enthusiastic about PdC!
2. Limited, but useful.
Using Your Senses
What did the community taste like? Was there any specialty food item, bakery, restaurant, or
candy store that you will remember?
1. Amazing coffee shop downtown.
2. Coffee shop had great food and so did the local restaurant (Mulligans) and
people seemed to be enjoying themselves.
3. Actually, we were disappointed, although we found the “smoke shop” interesting
and found several food items.
4. Simply was awesome
5. Amazing coffee shop downtown.
6. Coffee shop had great food and so did the local restaurant (Mulligans) and
people seemed to be enjoying themselves
7. Fish shop was amazing
What did the community smell like? Was there any offensive industrial, agricultural, or sewage
smells? What about pleasant odors (flowers, food, etc.)?
1.
2.
3.
4.
No
No offensive odors.
It was a pleasant fall day. Nothing out of the ordinary.
No impression either way
What sounds did you hear? Please comment on the level of noise in the community (traffic,
industrial, birds singing, water falls, music on the streets, trains, noon whistle, etc.).
1.
2.
3.
4.
No different than normal
Normal semi-trailer and traffic sounds with occasional freight train. Not offensive.
Very very quiet area
Music on Blackhawk was nice. Not sure it if was from a store or the City.
How would describe the overall environmental health of the community (air quality, litter, noise
pollution etc.)?
1. Fine
2. Very clean community. Flowerbeds looked nice and Factoids in downtown
sidewalks were a very nice touch.
3. The city seemed clean. The area was a bit dusty because of the road
construction.
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4. Air quality was good.
Did you experience anything that had a strongly negative or positive impact on the way the
community felt to you (hateful or angry responses, crowded or deserted streets, safety issues,
smiling faces, etc.)?
1. No
2. Citizens were very positive about their community, except for taxes and lack of
clean-up in the burned out area
3. The people were very friendly
4. Quiet and friendly
Do you think your impression would be different if your visit occurred during evening hours?
1. Not sure
2. Residential would be quiet – sleepy community. I would enjoy being a tourist on a
warm summer night as I think old downtown would be a fun place.
3. Perhaps there would be more people on the streets.
4. Unknown
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Wrap-Up
The following questions are to be answered by all team members:
Was your perception prior to the visit accurate? In what ways was the community different from
what you expected?
1. Very enlightened by history that I was not previously aware of.
2. Didn’t expect homes to be of moderate income; massive number of trailer park
facilities; having 3 major businesses. Hadn’t given a thought to the fact the PdC
sits alone in a rural area, thus has a different need of services than commuter
city like Lake Mills. Did expect to see a tourist-based economy and a restored
historic downtown area.
3. Our team expected a more touristy, historical town.
4. PdC felt bigger than we thought it would be, based on the population.
Did the information you collected prior to the visit accurately reflect what you observed/
experienced?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Yes
Basically, yes
Yes
Yes
What is the most outstanding feature of this community?
1. Historical places
2. The Travel Center welcoming traffic exiting from Iowa, and the historical area of
the old fort at the river
3. Aging tourism
4. Lawson Park by the River and the bluffs
5. The beautiful Mississippi River
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List five positive things you observed about this community.
1. Father Marquette monument - St. Feriole Island Memorial Gardens - Fort Crawford
Museum - Villa Louis Historical Site - Mississippi River Sculpture Park
2. Affordable housing until one inquired into taxes – medical facilities – a self-contained
city as to items needed (you don’t need to leave the city) – the fact that it is a hub for
that rural area of the state while being a small city – the river and the historical district to
provide for tourism
3. Very very friendly people – wide variety of shopping and services for a town this size –
natural beauty near the Mississippi – welcome from the west - Cabela’s
4. Parks – well-maintained roads – well-maintained schools and public buildings – large
variety of retail shopping – friendly people
What are three potential opportunities available to the community?
1. More outfitting opportunities
2. More manufacturing
3. Distillery/winery/brewery
4. Increased cooperative-community wide work to expand tourism
5. Main Street Program
6. Renovate Wyalusing Academy into high-end condos
7. Improve signage. Construction signage was more helpful than permanent signage.
8. Promote the river more and what people can do on the river
9. More cultural events (live theater, movie theaters, music)
10. Convention Center, including regional theater
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What are the five biggest obstacles/challenges facing this community?
1. Away from a major urban center, making it harder to find talent for higher level positions
in local companies
2. There are far older sections of living versus newer ones
3. Potential lack of infrastructure for another national company like 3M to come to town
4. Continue to revitalize downtown. Without support, a downtown will decline quickly!
5. Aging infrastructure, aging housing, competitive river towns nearby, lack of new
housing, needs vitality to draw new families
6. No high-end housing or high-end job market
7. No high-end job market
8. WiFi and cell phone reception
9. Cell reception
What will you remember most about this community six months from now (positive or
negative)?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Very cool town!
Beautiful setting and friendly people
The really super fish and cheese store
Construction can be a huge impediment to progress
We learned a lot for our own 2018 construction project coming up!
The Cannery!!!
What have you learned here that has changed your impression of your own community?
1. It’s not an apple-to-apple comparison.
2. Look at all the details. Look at the community from a stranger’s perspective. Look
more closely at signage.
3. Retail needs to be mixed with service. Businesses don’t have to be on the main
street to be successful.
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Has this experience given you any new ideas about what is needed in your own community?
1. PdC has a good focus on history. That is something Lake Mills could build upon.
2. Yes!
3. We (Lake Mills) need more retail in our downtown. Due to the fact that we are a
bedroom community, that will be difficult.
4. Your river is like our lake – a big part of tourism.
Describe one idea that you will borrow for use in your own business/community and describe
how you will start to implement it within the next 72 hours!
1. Provide a place to work like a restaurant for mentally impaired individuals or
minors in need of help, to show a positive path in life. PdC has a wonderful
restaurant that does this!
2. Look at my own organization with fresh eyes.
3. When we have the Hwy 89 project in 2018, we should use many of the ideas for
signage for businesses, multiple locations and business names, not just the type
of business or “downtown ahead.”
4. Room tax! We need room tax in Lake Mills!
5. We would love to see in Lake Mills: a convention center (or large building for
large events), a hotel on the lake, more rentable cottages on our lake, a
campground at Korth Park
6. Your Villa Louis is wonderful – we need to develop a better historical draw for our
town
7. Develop our walking tours of beautiful homes and neighborhoods – maybe create
an event for this, rather than just an open-ended brochure
Other comments:
1. A lovely town that I will visit again with my entire family!
2. Railway was frequently encountered. Trains came twice and neither interfered
with our travels. We had a very short wait.
3. We wonder what PdC is like during the high tourist season – full hotels and
restaurants – would love to experience this!
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First Impressions - Prairie du Chien

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