2002 Annual Executive Summary
Lake County Enterprise Community
The
experiment that in the Lake County Enterprise Community is working. A walk down
the street, a ride through town, a conversation with residents will tell you the
same thing. Last year the role of the EC began changing from that of developing
direct grants and awards to more indirect benefits, where grants and loans were
achieved because of the EC designation, or through partnering with the EC. The
emphasis has been on continuing to forge a network, making connections and
fostering cooperation, a can-do attitude and holding onto the vision. It has
been a powerful and empowering year. Tourism and housing dominate the EC agenda
in 2002. The first Idlewild Jazz Festival brought over two thousand (2,000)
visitors to the Lake County area. Planning for the second music festival is
underway. The economic impact of this event is significant. The new Variety
Store financed by the FiveCAP Intermediary Relending Program has tripled floor
space and is stocking for the need of area residents and visitors. The U.S.
Forestry Service received a special Historic Preservation Grant and are working
on a CCC Camp replica to recognize the black men who were in the Civilian
Conservation Corp (CCC), many of whom remained to live in Lake County. Two (2)
books have been published about Idlewild and Lake County as tourism areas, one,
"The Idlewild Community: Black Eden" by Dr.’s Lewis Walker and Ben
C. Wilson, the other, "Images of America; Idlewild: The Black Eden of
Michigan" by Dr. Ronald J. Stephens. Over thirty (30) single family housing
sites were acquired, in addition to six (6) new homes which were built last
year. Construction is starting on the Multi Family Housing Project.
Infrastructure improvements that are associated with this project include roads
and sanitary sewer.