 Where the downtown Bemidji Archway on Third Street and Bemidji Avenue was installed a few months ago, but today a ribbon-cutting ceremony made it official. The Bemidji Downtown Alliance spearheaded the project that was years in the making. More than $100,000 was raised to fund the project, and the city donated $45,000. City officials, donors and community members run hand for the celebration today. A couple from Michigan had parked right there, ran over, took a picture, jumped in and left, and I was like, those are the people we're trying to grab and say, hey, come into our downtown. We're something special here in Bemidji, and you want to take a little time to experience us. And it's another way to have the pride in our community and just be really welcoming about it. The Bemidji Downtown Alliance hopes this project will lead to more collaborative efforts for downtown Bemidji. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.