What Does Oak Creek Need Most? Depends Who You Ask

What kind of new development does Oak Creek need the most?

This was the poll question I asked last week on our Oak Creek Patch Facebook page (which is awesome and you should totally "like" it), not exactly sure what the response would be.

Now, 25 votes does not a representative sample make. But I found it interesting how mixed the opinion was, and even though the sample was small, that the results jived with the general feeling I have gotten over the last six months.

A "destination"-type restaurant (with  used as an example) received the most votes with seven.

Not far behind was retail/shopping choices (six votes), recreation facilities (five), other (four) and bars (three). New housing did not receive any votes.

In the comments, some Facebook users got specific. "A bookstore!" wrote Jenny von Helms. Erich Roeseler, in a nod to job creation, wrote "manufacturing."

In some ways, the poll is a microcosm of the feedback the city has received in its public meetings on the lakefront and former Delphi property.

I was not surprised, for example, that a nice restaurant was a slight winner. More dining options along the lines of di Carlo (think business lunches, a place to take someone on a first date, etc.) is something you hear consistently that Oak Creek needs.

But a restaurant is not top of mind for everyone. It seems clear that while Oak Creek has many things going for it, there's room for improvement across the board.

City leaders believe they can address those issues through the lakefront and Delphi redevelopment processes. Both areas are large and have room for all of the choices listed on the Facebook poll.

Easier said than done, of course. Shovels going into the ground is a long way off. Right now, Oak Creek is in the middle of soliciting public feedback, which they say will greatly influence what happens on those two sites.

The next opportunity for residents to weigh in , where conceptual plans for the Delphi and Civic Center sites will be presented.

And it's a safe bet that mixed opinions will reign again.