City Looks to Develop Optimist Park for Housing

By Gordon HopkinsThe Community Redevelopment Authority (CRA) met on Tuesday, August 23, 2022, to discuss the possible acquisition of Optimist Park for residential development.Mayor Spencer Brown spoke at the meeting, “We have kind of thrown this idea out there in the past, Optimist Park.”As the country continues to struggle with a labor shortage, a lack of adequate workforce housing has proven to be an impediment to rural communities trying to attract new workers. The mayor has been pushing for new housing, particularly “middle range” housing, not too cheap and not too expensive, that he believes is essential for economic growth.Brown said, “Seeing the properties that we're going to be going after, and with what we’re doing out here and what we're doing, I still think it's a fantastic opportunity for residential development up there.”As of the meeting, no representatives of the Optimist Club had been informed of the decision. Mayor Brown said, “I have tried to contact a member of the Optimist Club, I will still continue to do that.”Optimist Park is owned by the City of Fairbury, which can transfer ownership to the CRA for development.The city has also been involved in a concerted effort to tear down dilapidated and substandard housing. Brown said, “What we're doing development and tearing down houses and stuff like that we're going to have a lot of green space. And some of that green space down the road, we can we can donate back to the Optimist Club or we can do something different there.”

“Beatrice Six” Tax to End this Year

Local McDonald's to Close Tuesday

Related Articles

Candidates Make Their Cases At Forum

Early Voting Ballots Are On Their Way

Secretary of State Alleges Fraud in Medical Cannabis Petitions

NWS Issues Fire Weather Watch for SE Nebraska