Good afternoon!

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends.  The holiday season is quickly approaching at lightning speed!

 

I am thankful and humbled to have been re-elected on November 8 to Norfolk City Council – Ward 2.  Thank you for your vote!  I share with you that my colleagues, Vice Mayor Martin Thomas (Ward 1), Councilman Tommy Smigiel (Ward 5) and Councilwoman Mamie Johnson (Ward 3) also were re-elected.  Councilman Riddick is retiring and Councilman – elect JP Paige was elected to represent Ward 4.  The Mayor and Superwards (6 & 7) elections are in November 2024.  This election was the first time the five wards were on the ballot in November as opposed to May. As a result of the election, there is a new baseline for understanding voter turnout in a November election for the five wards.

 

Are you curious about the plans for the new Norfolk Fitness & Wellness Center located at the site of the old Jewish Community Center on Newport Avenue near Little Creek Road?  There has been excellent community input on the desired services.  It appears that the new facility will be @107,000 square feet and will house a pool (25m/8 lanes, therapy pool, kiddy pool), a new library and many other excellent recreation center amenities and services.  Norfolk will issue a Request For Proposal for the project in Spring 2023 for the design, build and the construction.  A firm will be selected in 2023 and we anticipate an advanced design in winter 2023/2024.  Norfolk will break ground in summer 2024 with a construction timeline of 18-24 months.  We look forward to a ribbon cutting on the new facility in 2026.  Stay tuned for more information as the project progresses.

 

Have you heard about our Commercial Corridor pilot projects?  Representatives from Norfolk Economic Development presented information on these pilots at our November 29 meeting.  The four pilots focus on the commercial corridors of 35th Street, Riverview, Lafayette Blvd., and East Little Creek area.  The two in Ward 2 – 35th Street and Riverview – have the following components:

 

• Develop and implement streetscape plans for 35th Street
• Continue the efforts to promote economic development by supporting business education and networking opportunities
• Support the creation of one or more “art districts” – 35th Street identified
• Market the Riverview Village area as a location of specialty stores as a means of attracting small, independent retailers
• Encourage the reuse of the Riverview Theatre as a component of redevelopment

The program should launch in February 2023 and I look forward to seeing great success in these areas.

 

Have a great holiday!  Be safe, enjoy and have fun welcoming 2023.

 

Thanks! Courtney

Wisconsin Winter Wonderland!

 

Norfolk Grand Illumination Parade

Re-election yard sign

Holidays are exhausting for Grady