Meyer: If I were mayor

Published 11:41 am Wednesday, April 12, 2023

If I were mayor I would have many responsibilities, but the main thing I would focus on is adding family fun businesses to Redmond. These family fun businesses would introduce new jobs into Redmond and keep people active and healthy. People of all ages, young and old, would enjoy these businesses.

Some ideas of family fun businesses I would like to bring into Redmond would include indoor skydiving, trampoline park, go karts, ropes course with ziplines, escape rooms, bowling alley, laser tag arena, indoor sports facilities, indoor skatepark and much more.

I would also ask the community to recommend any other ideas through doing an online survey. The main focus of bringing in these fun businesses is to have a positive impact and provide jobs. Getting these fun activities is also exercise, which is important for families. The National Recreation and Parks Association’s magazine sats “increasing physical activity is a key component to reducing childhood obesity rates. Studies have shown that kids who live close to public parks and recreational facilities are more likely to be active.” This is important for keeping our city healthy.

I would take a proactive approach in getting these private businesses to come to Redmond. If the businesses were to bring in a certain number of jobs, they could qualify for a discount off taxes. The city of Redmond’s Downtown Urban Renewal Advisory Committee has funds to help downtown businesses. As mayor, i could use these funds to help pay for building upgrades or remodels for the family fun businesses. When people have jobs, they have money to spend on goods and services, which helps businesses grow and create more jobs. With the money from DURAC and possible tax discounts, this would for sure bring in businesses to make Redmond a well-rounded place.

These businesses would be spread out around the city of Redmond, allowing kids to access these activities easier. This would also help the employees access jobs easier. Families are also improved by spending quality time doing family fun activities with each other. Family fun businesses could host family fun nights that provide cheaper prices attracting the locals.

With these businesses being spread out around town, I would also focus on safety for pedestrians. I would make sure parking lots, crosswalks and sidewalks are safe. This would mean no one will be crossing the the road unsafely to get to the destination. At each business, I would make sure there is enough parking spaces and lighting. These businesses would have sidewalks to the closest crosswalk/intersection, so pedestrians are not crossing the street unsafely.

In conclusion, if I were mayor I would bring new jobs to Redmond and a way to keep families healthy by introducing family fun businesses into the city. As a teen, I am always looking for something fun and active to do. I’m sure other kids feel the same way. An example of something that would be really exciting to bring is indoor skydiving. There is nothing like it here in Central Oregon. Focusing on these types of businesses would help introduce an active and fun lifestyle for Redmond.

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