"GATEWAYS" TO THE FUTURE!
July 6, 2004

The next time you're coming into Cold Spring ask yourself a question. "Where does the township end and the city begin?"

The entry points of a community are known as "Gateways" according to the Minnesota Design Team who visited Cold Spring in early June. Creating and designing distinct gateway locations can give people entering the city a sense of arrival and being welcome to the community.

The design team identified seven (7) different gateways to Cold Spring. They included where each of the major highways and county roads intersect with town, as well as separate entry points where the various roads merge directly into the downtown district.

It was suggested that our community should take steps to preserve our outer gateways or vistas with "greenway belts" that transition ones entry into town from farmland to residential or commercial development. Developing a common gateway or appearance to entering downtown was recommended. This would create another asset in our community to help welcome both our visitors and residents.

These are the kinds of ideas and concepts that the Cold Spring 20/20 vision team will be addressing as they encourage community teams to further develop a common vision for the future of our town. If you would like more information about this effort or would be interested in serving on a vision committee, please contact Kay Cook at 597-2794 or email her at neilkay@cloudnet.com.