CITY OF STANWOOD PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Sarah Cho
                Economic Development and Marketing Manager
               (360) 454-5210
                Sarah.Cho@Stanwoodwa.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 21, 2023
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 Downtown Stanwood Gateway Arch Ribbon Cutting on July 26, 2023 at 9AM

STANWOOD, WA — The City of Stanwood has just completed the Downtown Stanwood Gateway Arch on 88^th Avenue. As part of the City’s Beautification Action Plan, this gateway arch emphasizes one of the downtown entrance points from SR 532. As arches are typically used to signify the entrance to, or celebrate a special place, in Stanwood, that special place is the historic downtown. The purpose of the 88^th Avenue arch is to promote the visibility of downtown Stanwood to city residents and tourists. Please join us on July 26, 2023 at 9AM for a ribbon cutting at Downtown Stanwood Gateway Arch on 88th Avenue.

The City of Stanwood has spent 20 years planning how best to promote economic development opportunities in the downtown and uptown areas. Hundreds of hours of City leadership and community volunteer time were spent on identifying and visioning ways to improve the City’s economic viability and downtown aesthetics. Four major planning efforts have occurred over the years identifying strategies and projects.   Prior to 2021, the only implementation of these plans has been the Snow Goose wayfinding signs and historic street signs. In 2020 the City Beautification Action Plan took the previous planning work and integrated these efforts into an implementation plan called the City Beautification Action Plan.  The City Beautification Plan was unanimously supported by the Economic Development Board, Community Development Committee, Public Works Committee, Planning Commission, and City Council. The Plan consists of 6 key program elements: 72nd Avenue Gateway Signage and Landscaping, Main Street Revitalization, Downtown Gateway Features, SR 532 Beautification, Wayfinding Signage, and Public Art. 

There was a strong desire by the Economic Development Board, Community Development Committee, Planning Commission and City Council to build the gateway features first to create visibility, interest, and spur tourism in the historic downtown areas.

The gateway projects were chosen as the first set of projects to bring people into the downtown for shopping, eating at our local restaurants and for recreational activities now and not wait for several years for the downtown revitalization projects to be completed.  A common theme heard during the outreach events is that businesses need better visibility from SR 532; tourist and travelers do not know there is a downtown Stanwood. Stanwood has great shops and restaurants that could benefit from pass by traffic stopping in downtown due to better visibility from SR 532. 

Work began on the gateway features in July of 2021 and the 88^th Avenue Arch design was created. This location was chosen as it is highly visible from SR 532 and creates an easy entry point for tourists into the downtown. 

Gateways, signage and visibility from SR 532 is a common theme throughout the 20 years of planning for the downtown. For more information on city projects, visit www.stanwoodwa.org. 

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