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Creating a pedestrian-friendly environment was the focus of a forum this week to seek ideas for revitalizing the city’s core and stir interest in forming a downtown business association.

Among speakers at the city-sponsored event were Rich Bradley, president of the Washington, D.C.-based International Downtown Assn., and Steve Gibson, president of the Riverside Downtown

Assn. Bradley emphasized the importance of developing “people places” such as restaurants, theaters and museums that will draw visitors and residents to downtown areas. “Create the place,

manage it well, and they will come,” said Bradley, citing such successful and well-known community gathering places as the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica and Times Square in New York

City. Gibson emphasized the importance of forming public-private partnerships to address urban problems such as crime and litter. The Riverside Downtown Assn., Gibson said, manages a

five-block pedestrian mall under a contract with the city. The association’s priorities include zero tolerance for graffiti and daily checks for vandalism. The Anaheim Redevelopment Agency

is encouraging formation of a downtown association. Initial meetings for the fledgling group were in January, and subcommittees are now exploring promotional activities. MORE TO READ