Healthy, Vibrant Communities

Bottineau is one of 26 towns across the state chosen to be a Main Street community by the North Dakota Department of Commerce. This designation means we have completed a listening session to hear about some of the opportunities and challenges in our County. We have also issued an official proclamation about becoming a Main Street community and actively engage with the state and other communities to move forward.

Being a Main Street Community also means we are guided by three main pillars. These pillars help us set our long-term vision, which in turn, inspires and guides us on a day-to-day level. The first pillar is having a healthy and vibrant community.

Creating and sustaining a healthy and vibrant community is a big goal. It requires work from many different people and a commitment to work together.

Our county is so lucky to have groups like the Bottineau Retail Alliance, Chamber of Commerce, business leaders and community members who continue to step up. These dedicated groups of people help offer numerous events for citizens. They are a driving force behind maintain our quality of life and our vibrancy. Christmas trees and music on Main Street don’t just magically appear. They are the result of many people working hard to ensure our community is active and healthy.

Another key factor in this main street pillar is the hard work that happens every day within our school system. We are fortunate to have many levels of education within our county limits. From Pre-school to diplomas, our community benefits from the many individuals who have committed their time and effort to education. Please, reach out to the teachers, faculty and administrators you know and thank them for the work they do to help keep our community healthy and vibrant.

Being a Main Street community helps us have guiding pillars, but also helps us take inspiration from our neighbors. I recently attended the Main Street Conference in Bismarck to see what other communities like ours are working on, and the EDC will be working to incorporate new ideas and activities thoughout the upcoming months.

Do you have an idea to share? Have you have seen something another community has done that makes their spaces seem vibrant and healthy? Please reach out as we are always listening and looking for new ideas.

Whitney Gonitzke is the Executive Director of the Bottineau County Economic Development Corporation and can be reached atwhitney@bottineauedc.com or at 701-228-3922