Our Story
The Downtown Camas Association (DCA) started in 2009 to bolster a struggling historic downtown in need of help. Once a thriving district in a bustling mill town, the downtown had lost energy and customers with reduced mill employment and businesses moving to the mall. Revitalization was sorely needed in the heart of Camas! The DCA has worked to infuse life and economic viability into Downtown Camas and in 2015 became an accredited WA State Main Street Program. The DCA works year round to help our downtown and community thrive! We went from a town with 60% vacancy to one with 1% vacancy rate but there is more work to be done! We are continually working to create the most robust district through strong partnerships and advocacy, economic development, diversified beautification, merchant education, historic preservation, downtown promotion and creating a compelling and memorable experience for locals and visitors.
The Downtown Camas Association consists of a volunteer Board of Directors, an Executive Director, an administrative & volunteer/event coordinator, and four committees each overseen by a Committee Chair. The four committees are patterned after the WA Main Street Four Point Approach: Promotion, Design, Organization, and Economic Vitality.
Each Committee plans activities and creates a Work Plan for each activity in order to achieve its objectives.
Promotion: By promoting the downtown in a positive manner, we focus on the commercial district as a source of community pride, social activity and economic development potential. Advertising, special events and retail promotions communicate our commercial district’s unique characteristics, business establishments and activities to shoppers, investors, potential business and property owners, and visitors.
Promotion Committee activities: Marketing; advertising locally and regionally; multiple annual community events including First Fridays, Camas Plant & Garden Fair, Camas Car Show, Boo Bash, etc; historic walking tours, image promotion, fun!
Design: Utilizing appropriate design concepts, the visual quality of our commercial district (buildings, signs, window displays, landscaping, and environment) is enhanced. This creates a safe, vibrant environment for all downtown users, improving and enhancing consumer and investor confidence in the community.
Design Committee activities: Beautification of downtown, flower baskets, annual Spring Clean up and Planting Day, façade improvements, tree and building lights, public art including Bronze Bird Tour, mini-murals, preserving history, keeping things functioning well and looking good!
Organization:Each community has many groups of people who are interested in and are willing to work toward the goal of a revitalized commercial district. The organizational element brings together the public sector, private groups and individual citizens to provide effective, ongoing management and advocacy for our downtown district.
Organization Committee activities: Working with volunteers, DCA members and downtown merchants, the City and other community stakeholders to effectively accomplish all the initiatives of the DCA including events and fundraising. Good work yielding solid results!
Economic Vitality: This element involves strengthening our existing economic assets while diversifying the commercial district. This goal is accomplished by identifying potential market niches, finding new uses for vacant or underused spaces and improving business practices.
Economic Vitality Committee activities: Business recruitment, business education for success, community surveys, thinking out of the box, and working with other economic development stakeholders to vision, set goals, and implement plans for creating an ideal mix of businesses, housing, and amenities in our downtown core.
Click here for the DCA Mission and Vision
Click here for the latest DCA Strategies & Action Matrix