OCEAN CITY -- Ocean City leaders hosted a workshop Friday to brainstorm ideas for the town's future strategic plans.
Attendees filled out post-it notes with hopes for the town's future to give to town leaders. They also voiced opinions during the workshop.
"It's important to take an opportunity to step back to look at what is already working, and what we love about living, working, and playing here," Rachel Druckenmiller, the host of the workshop, told WBOC. "Then getting people that are stakeholders in this community to imagine what could be in the future and what would they like to see happen."
Some ideas shared at the event included:
- More restaurants and stores.
- More things to do on rainy days.
- More parking.
- A new sports complex.
- More public art.
- Improved Transportation.
"When people are involved they're engaged. So often we say 'Gosh we just wanna hear from people.' But do we give them opportunities to be heard?" Druckenmiller said.
Ocean City Director of Tourism and Business Development Tom Perlozzo said town leaders will use the ideas to shape future plans.
"This is just a thought-starter opportunity. It's a visionary kind of exercise," Perlozzo said. "I can just see a lot of things being built and worked on from this."
Perlozzo said the concepts won't just benefit people here year-round.
"It is about economics," Perlozzo said. "Obviously tourism is the main economic driver here."
Perlozzo said ideas from today's workshop will be taken to the tourism department and town leaders to see what is feasible. He said many of the ideas will be used to shape future strategic plans within the town.