Marion Stellar Communities team focuses on Mississinewa riverfront

Karen Niverson, executive director of the Grant County Convention and Visitors Bureau, said research has shown that water plays an important role in successful destinations in terms of leisure and entertainment.

“The fact the river runs through the county, and particularly through downtown Marion, is an asset we really can’t afford to ignore,” she said.

Part of the Stellar plan includes clearing out the riverbank and creating a better view of the river.

She said cities tend to build leisure and entertainment districts around bodies of water, but that isn’t something Marion has honed in on until recently.

“I think historically our community has been a manufacturing community, so we focus our attention and resources on building infrastructure to support manufacturing, but in the new economy as we look to the future, a successful community needs to provide a different set of amenities to be successful and grow,” she said. “Developing quality of life for leisure and entertainment is what we need to attract new investors and entrepreneurs.”

City Planning Director Aletha Dunston said the Stellar vision isn’t necessarily focused on just the river, but on the entire downtown area as being one of the most important areas for the community. Fortunately, the river is just two blocks from the square, creating more opportunities, she said.

A video made for state officials concentrates on the fact that Marion is a riverfront arts community that comes together.

“Water is one of those elements of life; it has movement, and it creates energy around it, as well as the fact it’s so important to downtown because we lack so much green space, so the river is an opportunity to experience the natural environment,” Dunston said.