The Ellijay Downtown Development Authority (DDA) discussed plans for an upcoming expanded meeting that will focus on local housing issues, while also exploring possible future fundraising opportunities, while meeting Tuesday, July 12.
The Ellijay DDA, which normally convenes at City Hall, will hold its next meeting at the First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall Tuesday, Aug. 9, at 6 p.m.
That meeting will focus on housing issues in Gilmer County and the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing, in which Gilmer is a first-time participating county this year. Several guest speakers are expected to attend and share their experiences with housing in the county, noted Reece Sanford, DDA chairman.
“We have four speakers lined up. Two of (them) are local, and two have been displaced and are coming back to town to speak,” he added.
The DDA has previously hosted two town hall meetings at Ellijay First Baptist, but this will be more of an information session on local workforce housing issues and possible solutions, noted Sanford. The public is invited to attend the meeting.
“The DDA recognizes that the City of Ellijay is the most friendly to this type of housing, and downtown is a logical place for this type of housing. We support it, and we’re just wanting to help foster a conversation,” Sanford said.
DDA members Sandy Ott, Melinda Hadden, Keith Nunn and Sanford also discussed possibly starting a 5K event as a fundraiser for the group, which lacks a steady funding source for projects.
Hosting a 5K could be something that promotes downtown Ellijay, while also raising needed funds for DDA projects, Sanford said.
There are already several long-running annual 5Ks here, including The Christian Learning Center’s Run for the Son and the Apple Festival 5K, while Blue Ridge has both a Thanksgiving and July Fourth 5K, he noted.
“A lot of the races that really do well are kind of around a holiday weekend. One thing you also have to balance is cold and heat. The perfect time for races is April-May and October-November,” Sanford said.
Harrison Park, which hosted a sasquatch-themed 5K event this year, is being looked at as a possible site.
“If it finishes at Harrison Park, you can have a lot of space to have a big finish line, photos, food trucks, (etc.),” said Sanford.