Galena Growth Thought Experiment

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This survey has been compiled by the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Club at Galena High School, located in the beautiful Driftless Region of Northwest Illinois.

This survey is being conducted under the supervision of Principal Hawkins and Mr. Leavitt at Galena High School. It is done in preparation for a statewide Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Club “American Enterprise” competition. Your participation will help in creating real data from which the FBLA Club students may be able to shape the future of our town and our school.

Everybody with some kind of a connection to Galena is encouraged to take the survey, but when you reach the "Head of Household" section, please only have a single person from your family complete that section.

How did you hear about this survey?

In person at Galena High School (GHS).

Through an email connected to GHS.

Social media post.

Word-of-mouth from an off-campus GHS student.

Business connections in Galena.

Family or social connections in Galena.

Other:

Clear selection

Exploring Your Connections to Galena

Before you answer questions related to the “Thought Experiment” idea (the last questions in the survey), it will be tremendously helpful to know some information about how your family is connected to the Galena area. Your responses will be anonymous. No effort will be made to identify respondents, and no identifying information will be published.

Which of the following best describes your connection to Galena, IL:

I consider the Galena region to be my primary residence (proceed to next question).

I have “anytime access” to a vacation home in the area (proceed to next question).

I have “limited access” to a vacation home in the area (skip to Vision for Galena section).

I consider Galena to be a regular getaway vacation with two or more trips a year (skip to Vision for Galena section).

I consider Galena to be a yearly vacation destination(skip to Vision for Galena section).

None of the above describe my connection to Galena (skip to Vision for Galena section).

Clear selection

The following questions relate to the one place that you consider to be your residence or permanent vacation home in the Galena area. Of the list below, which best describes the location of your residence:

Town of Galena (proceed to next question).

Galena Territory (skip to the Vision for Galena section).

Blackjack Road rural corridor (skip to the Vision for Galena section).

Stagecoach Trail rural corridor (skip to the Vision for Galena section).

Ferry Landing / Red Gates / Chetlain & rural SW of Hwy 20 (skip to the Vision for Galena section).

Hwy 20 East corridor including Elizabeth (skip to the Vision for Galena section).

Hwy 20 West corridor including East Dubuque (skip to the Vision for Galena section).

Wisconsin border towns excluding Platteville (skip to the Vision for Galena section).

Dubuque, Iowa (skip to Vision for Galena section).

None of the Above (skip to Vision for Galena section).

Clear selection

Of the list below, which best describes the location of your Galena residence?

Historic Main Street / Bench Street / Downtown / Dewey Ave

Historic Hilltop (Prospect / High / Dodge area)

Historic Franklin Corridor and northeast neighborhoods (Meeker / Fulton / Clinton area)

Historic Spring and Gear Street areas (only if designated “historic”)

Historic East Galena (Park Ave / 3rd / 4th / 5th area)

Other Historic Designated Area

Other Galena (not in historic designated area)

Clear selection

Vision for Galena

In 1856, Galena had a population of about 15,000 people. Since 1970, when the population hovered around 4,000, and notwithstanding becoming a major center for tourism, the town has seen a near constant decrease in population. Currently, 52% of the population is over the age of 55, and one in four Galenians are now over the age of 70.

With the above in mind, do you think the very survival of the town hinges on finding a way to attract younger families? (Choose the one best answer.)

Yes, and the viability of the town depends on diversifying the economy away from being so dependent on weekend tourism.

Yes, but without an industrial base, the best growth plan would be to broaden the tourism target market to attract younger tourists with families.

No, attracting younger families is not essential to survival. The town will survive without much change because we continue to attract retirees. It is unlikely that the town will ever be attractive to younger couples with children still at home.

Other:

Clear selection

Choose up to three of the following that best describe a reason why your family moved to Galena, and/or chooses to continue living here?

I was born and/or raised here

Friendliness of the townsfolk

Welcome feeling by businesses, restaurants, and other institutions.

Affordable housing

Town amenities (schools, recreation center, churches, arts & culture)

Region amenities (ski resort, golfing, access to lakes and rivers, hunting)

Natural amenities (trails, conservation areas, open spaces, sweeping views)

Location (access to good jobs, close to family, colleges)

Climate (four distinct seasons)

Overall quality of life (a merging of several of the above)

Other:

Choose only one of the following that best describes your preference for future population growth in Galena?

Stay the way we are, with tourism our primary industry and little growth in population.

Discourage tourism but encourage stable industries, keeping the population constant.

Encourage a little bit of growth (up from 3,300 to a population of about 5,000)

Encourage a substantial growth (roughly double the population to about 7,000)

Other:

Clear selection

Galena River Boardwalk (a thought experiment)

The Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Club at Galena High School is preparing a presentation to compete at the state and national level under the American Enterprise category. At the core of this is a requirement that students demonstrate a deep understanding of how a free-market economy functions. In very simple terms, what "pushes" people away from Galena, and what "pulls" people to Galena.

At the core of the Galena High School FLBA Club research is the idea that, with strong community support, a business partnership or consortium could be formed to develop a boardwalk-themed development along the Galena River, downriver from the Illinois Bank & Trust property. The pedestrian-friendly development would reach the old Intercity Power & Light plant.

If this thought experiment ever comes to life, the 20-year development proposal would incorporate the following elements (listed chronologically in the order of completion). As you read each point, consider whether you think each idea will "pull" more people toward Galena to live, or visit more often. On the other hand, you may think that the following ideas would "push" people away from returning to Galena or have them decide against making this town their home.

A strategically situated parking lot, big enough to alleviate weekend parking problems for the downtown area, but mostly hidden from view from the river and boardwalk. The current parking shuttle service will serve this additional parking lot.
A third pedestrian / bicycle bridge, attached or parallel to the existing railway bridge.
Creating a boardwalk and trail extension from downtown on the west side of the river, and paving the entire length of the Galena River Trail on the east side.
An expansion of bike, canoe, and kayak rentals, with immediate access to the trail system and the river.
The protection of the old Intercity Power & Light building, with most of the structure being stabilized and left “as is.” If feasible, improvements would allow for food and entertainment venues on the ground floor, with a year-round airsoft & paintball arena on improvised upper floors and rooftop.
The development of a marina facility capable of hosting overnight boaters visiting Galena via the Mississippi River (with power and fresh water at the berth, bathrooms on shore, and sanitary dump station).
A companion marina at Ferry Landing, where large yachts can be moored and tender boats used to come up the river to the Galena River Boardwalk marina.

As an initial reaction to this idea, with minimal thought to which elements you might like or dislike, are you inclined to support or oppose the idea?

Support strongly

Support with some qualifiers

Opposed with some qualifiers that could change my mind

Oppose strongly

I would take a wait-and-see approach

Clear selection

Big changes in a small town often meet with a great deal of resistance. In this regard, there are some long-term residents of Galena that don't see Galena as a “resort town,” possibly because these people were living here before the push toward tourism took place in the late 1970s.

Recalling that this thought experiment is a 20-year development proposal, which of the following options best describe your personal opinion for the Galena Riverwalk Marina proposal? (Choose all that apply.)

It will cannibalize customers from downtown, and all businesses would be worse off..

It will not draw any new visitors to Galena, and most of the development would be under-utilized.

It will attract too many new visitors, adding to Galena’s traffic and overcrowding problems.

It will be a slippery slope, and would lead to the over-commercialization of the town and kill Galena’s charm (becoming the next Wisconsin Dells).

It would be a long-overdue improvement to Galena, which was becoming stale.

It would allow for an expansion of the commercial corridor without altering the existing charming mainstreet.

With some strategic rezoning, it would open up opportunities for new overnight accommodations and improved convention facilities outside of the historic district, but still within walking distance of downtown.

It would initiate a different kind of growth in Galena, eventually making us a viable destination for various kinds of outdoor recreation instead of just being a town for shopping and dining out.

Other:

Every business in Galena has an ideal target audience that best defines who is most likely to spend money with them. When all businesses in Galena are seen as a single market, it serves to define who is most likely to visit our town. In other words, we are already good at "pulling" these people into our town.

Choose ONLY THREE of the following that describe how you personally see the current target market for Galena tourism.

Parents with children under the age of 14.

Parents with teenage children.

Young adults (under 21) looking for a place to hang out together.

Young adults in mixed groups (male and female, over 21) looking for a place to hang out together.

Single guys (over 21) coming to town for a bachelor party.

Single ladies (over 21) coming to town for a bachelorette party.

Newly married couples, coming to Galena for their wedding or as part of their honeymoon.

Parents with kids still at home, but traveling without their kids for a weekend getaway.

Empty-nesters (kids no longer at home), but not yet retired, so just looking for a weekend away or a short vacation.

Retired people, with the freedom to travel anytime and anywhere.

Thinking of the three target markets you identified above, this question will explore in which ways you think the Galena River Boardwalk business proposal (with an airsoft and paintball arena and outdoor recreation as the primary business anchors) would relate to the three target markets you identified. Finish this sentence:

The Galena River Boardwalk would…(choose all that apply.)

…attract a different target market from the three I identified, thereby diversifying the local economy.

…decrease how much customers spend downtown, and have a negative financial impact on at least one of the three target markets I identified above.

…expand the customer base of at least one of the target markets I identified, improving profits for some of the existing downtown businesses.

…expand Galena’s attraction to the point that our area would be seen as a corporate destination, thereby allowing our hotels to greatly expand their marketing efforts to attract conventions to their facilities.

…provide valuable recreational activities for Galena residents, especially our young people.

...incentivize others to develop additional facilities, such as a sports and entertainment multiplex.

What impact do you anticipate the Galena River Boardwalk would have on housing in Galena? (Choose all that apply.)

Raise house prices.

Lower house prices.

Create a need for new construction of single-family homes.

Create a need for new construction of multi-family housing (duplexes, row houses, apartments).

Increase rent for tenants.

Degrade older neighborhoods as landlords create non-conforming suites in the existing housing stock to meet the demand of a growing population (worsening parking and noise problems on densely populated historical streets without proper driveways).

I believe it would have minimal or no impact on housing costs.

Other:

What impact do you anticipate the Galena River Boardwalk would have on property taxes in the Town of Galena (choose the one option that BEST fits your personal opinion).

Taxes would go up because most people who work at the new facility will not live in town, but rather drive in from surrounding areas.

Taxes will go up because the need for infrastructure improvements will exceed the tax revenue generated from the development.

Taxes will go down because expanding the business tax base will generate more tax revenue than residential property taxes.

Taxes will go down because infilling of new housing on vacant lots throughout the town will generate higher tax receipts with almost no increase in costs to support that new home.

Taxes will not change, but the town will have more tax revenue, which will allow the town to undertake long overdue infrastructure projects such as sidewalks and curbs.

Other:

Clear selection

Demographic Information

This section is optional, but the more participants who complete this section, the more meaningful the research will be in understanding who exactly is supportive and who is opposed to the ideas of the thought experiment.

Which of the following captures your age bracket?

70 years or older

60 to 69 years

50 to 59 years

40 to 49 years

30 to 39 years

21 to 29 years

18 to 20 years (not in high school)

In high school (typically 15 to 18)

Younger than 15

Clear selection

Which of the following is the best fit for your primary occupation? (Choose only one.)

Full-time student

Hospitality industry (hotel, restaurant, bar, etc.)

Retail (cashier, sales, business owner, etc.)

Other tourism-dependent work

Education

Government (city, county, police, etc.)

Finance and insurance (banking, etc.)

Health (including in-home care)

Automotive and transportation

Construction trades

Home improvement & maintenance

Agriculture and supporting industries

Other occupation (not listed above)

Not currently employed (looking for work)

Retired

Clear selection

Which gender category best describes you, as an individual?

Male

Female

Trans-male

Trans-female

Gender non-conforming

Prefer not to answer

Clear selection

Which sexual orientation best describes you, as an individual?

Straight

Gay or Lesbian

Bisexual

Queer

Asexual

Prefer not to answer

Other:

Clear selection

Which option below best describes your ethnicity or race?

White (caucasian - not Latino or Hispanic)

Latino or Hispanic

Black

Asian or Pacific Islander

Native American

Prefer not to answer

Other:

Clear selection

Head-of-Household Section

While every individual is encouraged to complete other parts of this survey, only one person in each household should answer the following questions. If you are NOT that person, simply choose the top selection on each question.

The following questions are ONLY related to your support of businesses in the historic area of Galena (including Dillon’s on Franklin), and businesses housed in a designated historical building on Spring Street (Hwy 20).

Which of the following best describes you?

I am NOT the designated head-of-household.

I am an adult resident of Galena and will be the designated head-of-household (continue in this section).

Clear selection

How long has your family had ties to the Galena / Jo Daviess County region?

I am NOT the designated head-of-household.

Four generations or more (your great-grandparents)

Three generations (your grandparents)

My parents were the first to start coming to Galena.

I / We are the first generation to discover the area.

Clear selection

What is the total number of adults (age 18 or older) living in your household?

I am NOT the designated head-of-household.

4 or more

Clear selection

What is the total number of dependent children living in your household?

I am NOT the designated head-of-household.

4 or more

Clear selection

Which option below best represents how often somebody in your household ate at a restaurant housed in a designated (protected) historic building last year.

I am NOT the designated head-of-household.

Two or more visits per month

Once a month

Once every two months

Only three or four times in the whole year.

Once or twice in the whole year.

We don’t eat downtown.

Clear selection

Which option below best represents how people from your household bought tangible goods (something you carry home in a box or bag) from a business in a historically designated building in Galena?

I am NOT the designated head-of-household.

A couple of times a month.

About once a month.

Three or four times a year.

Once or twice a year.

Very rarely or never.

Clear selection

Where does your household do most of your grocery shopping? (Choose up to three.)

I am NOT the designated head-of-household.

Galena Walmart

Galena Piggly Wiggly

Dubuque Walmart

Dubuque Hy Vee

Dubuque Sam’s Club

Dubuque (all others, such as Aldis or Target)

Wisconsin

Other:

Where does your household primarily go for major home improvement purchases?

I am NOT the designated head-of-household.

Galena Gasser's

Dubuque Menards

Dubuque Lowe’s

Dubuque Spahn & Rose Lumber

Platteville Menards

Freeport Menards

Clinton Home Depot

Other:

Clear selection

How often does someone in your household buy something from a tractor supply, farm and fleet, or feed store?

I am NOT the designated head-of-household.

At least weekly

Once or twice a month

Once every two months

A couple of times a year.

Rarely

Never

Clear selection

If you could get one major retailer to build a store in Galena, which type from the following list would you prefer?

I am NOT the designated head-of-household.

Menards / Lowe’s / Home Depot (or similar)

Tractor Supply / Blaine’s / Thiessens

Kohl’s / Marshalls / TJ Maxx / Stein Mart (or similar)

Starbucks / Dunkin Donuts (or similar with a drive-thru)

It is premature for any of these stores to locate in Galena.

Other:

Clear selection

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