Guest column: Let’s GROW Suwannee!

Published 3:07 pm Thursday, May 2, 2013

Did you attend the grand opening celebration of Heritage Park and Gardens? What a great event at a great spot! Congratulations to the folks who had the vision and to those who are participating in making that vision a reality. This attraction is yet another reason for people to visit Live Oak – and one more reason for those of us who live here not to have to go anywhere else! Heritage Park and Gardens is an asset to the future of economic development in Suwannee County.

We want to share the first report of an increase in local business that has been induced by the Klausner sawmill. It came from a barber who noticed more people coming in for haircuts. These new customers just happened to have been some of the workers who were employed in clearing the catalyst site.   

As Klausner prepares to break ground on its first American sawmill, it opens the door for economic growth that was only a dream a few years ago when those acres near I-10 and US-90 were designated as a catalyst site. And there is more to come.  Our business recruitment team continues to work with a number of companies interested in co-locating at the catalyst site. In economic development, patience is truly a virtue! An all-important industry cluster is being developed that will not only allow advantages for each company but will allow our educational and training institutions to focus on programs that will support the mutual workforce needs of a group of companies.  

Speaking of patience, you’ve probably heard that the Badcock building has been sold! The new owner plans to lease the building and we have already shown it to an interested company with whom we have been working for several weeks.   

A committee of members from the Suwannee County Development Authority (SCDA), led by Clifford Gwinn, is spearheading a campaign to recruit restaurants for Suwannee County. Research has been done and contacts are being made. This is an added direction for SCDA, whose historical focus has been to establish industrial parks and participate with engineering and planning requirements for businesses that are interested in expanding or establishing a new location in Suwannee County.
The Chamber is moving forward with its new board members and new officers to discuss and implement plans for the year. A membership committee has been set up, a survey is in the works, and plans are being made for a business forum. Watch for more information soon.
As the Tourist Development Council (TDC) goes about the business of promoting tourism in Suwannee County, one of its tools is to award monetary grants to events that will bring visitors to the county. A recent event receiving a grant was the Wannee Festival, attended by more than 60,000 people! This weekend are two more events that the TDC has supported; The first is the Suwannee River Jam, now in its 21st year. The second is a new event to Live Oak: the 2013 Southeast Regional Trapping & Outdoor Expo from the National Trappers Association and Florida Trappers Association which will be held at the Suwannee County Agricultural Complex. There will be exhibits, demonstrations, plenty of vendors, and on Saturday a visit by Junior, Willie & Teresa Edwards from the History Channel’s popular TV series “Swamp People”!

The Council for Progress (CFP), established 17 years ago, was the first organization in Suwannee County whose main goal was to address economic development. It is through the CFP that we facilitate the face-to-face contact that is crucial in bringing the economic development that will benefit our county.

You can be involved in economic development, the chamber, or tourist development! There are a variety of ways to participate. Give us a call and…

Let’s GROW Suwannee!