Improving the economic base in Oak Ridge will take a team effort and everyone needs to be involved

We need independent business owners, corporate partners, citizens, civic groups and public officials.  We need the city, the county, business owners and individuals to work together and focus on what is best for our community.

All agencies from local governments to school boards, the hospital system and civic groups need to work together to develop a better quality of life in our community that will attract new businesses and investment in Oak Ridge.   When people come into an area they want to know about the quality of schools, health care facilities and recreational activities. Oak Ridge excels in all of these but we lack in restaurants, night life and retail sales that make people want to live here.

When most people think of economic development they think of industry, but so many of those jobs have declined in the U.S. since the 70’s for a variety of reasons.   America lost its manufacturing edge because of high investment and labor costs, advances in technology and government regulations.  But “economic restructuring” is more important to a community the size of Oak Ridge.  Economic Restructuring strengthens a community’s existing economic assets while expanding and diversifying its economic base.  This will help to sharpen the competiveness of existing business owners while recruiting compatible new businesses and new economic uses to build a commercial district that responds to today’s consumer needs.

The Oak Ridge Revitalization Effort encourages outside investment in Oak Ridge besides manufacturing.  We need to encourage the people who work here to live here.  The only way we can do this is by investing in our community by improving the locally owned shopping areas through the introduction of greenspace, specialty retail, unique restaurants and activities that encourage community gatherings.

We have many visitors who come to Oak Ridge for recreational purposes.   We need to get them to spend more money in Oak Ridge while they are here.  Shop in our stores, eat in our restaurants, visit our museums!  We need them to choose Oak Ridge as a place to live!

ORRE is working to improve the community through economic restructuring by working with property owners and merchants in locally owned centers.    We also focus on Community Outreach by  producing a series of events and activities that promote a collective positive relationship with a diverse group that is both entertaining and educational. ORRE activities include Fresh From The Earth weekly Farmers and Artisans Market in Grove Center;  a monthly Art Walk with juried artists, fine art and craft  vendors and performance artists; Taste of Anderson County, featuring individually owned restaurants, and Holiday Market where the kids can find Santa, a couple can take  horse & carriage ride, you can do your holiday shopping then stop for a glass of wine with friends and eat roasted chestnuts.  Each of these events provides an opportunity for citizens to gather in a sense of community while at the same time inviting visitors into our City. 

Oak Ridge needs to work as a collective community to create a positive image for our locally owned businesses and commercial centers by promoting these area as exciting places to shop, live and most importantly invest.   We need to work to stimulate and restore viability to our locally owned businesses that will improve our overall demographic.