What will Whitewater look like in 20 years? Residents share their ideas with city planners

Whitewater is developing the first update to the city's development plan in nearly a decade. It's shaped by advice from residents, many of whom want Whitewater to revitalize its downtown. "If you think about what our lives were like before COVID and how much has changed since then, it's quite different," said Whitewater manager of economic development Mason Becker.The city has spent more than a year developing Whitewater Forward, which includes ideas such as turning First Street between Main and Center streets into a year-round pedestrian event space. "Residents really want us to continue refocusing on our downtown," Becker said. "We've heard that a lot over the past year."Those residents include Lynette Gmer, who has lived in Whitewater since 1986 and is director of the downtown non-profit arts space Studio 84. "It can be pretty quiet on Center Street some days," Gmer said. "There's not a lot here going on and it makes it hard to have foot traffic."Gmer said she has noticed more empty