El Trébol, is an Argentine city, 133 years old, located in the humid pampa of the center west of Santa Fe, with a population of 14 thousand inhabitants. It has an economic potential centered on the industrial life, emphasizing the stainless steel, agricultural, (soybean, wheat and corn) and commercial. The city has a strong sporting background, with two clubs that develop many activities that include citizens of all ages, from very young to seniors.  

There are seven towns surrounding the city (Los Cardos, Carlos Pellegrini, San Jorge, Maria Susana, Piamonte, Maria Juana and Sastre), totaling some 40,000 people. It is accessed by Route 13, a corridor that joins the province of Santa Fe from north to south and borders the province of Córdoba. However, these accesses lack attractiveness, adequate lighting and maintenance. Both local residents and road users are potential visitors and shoppers in El Trébol. 

In the last 6 years, the notorious decline in commerce and gastronomy was evident. In spite of the 200 stores opened in the last 2 years, 9 gastronomic stores closed before that, some of them located in the most traditional commercial center of the city, adding up to a total of 87 stores in all areas throughout the city. This drop in commercial activity was due to the lack of public-private actions, state initiatives, strategic promotions and investments in infrastructure; triggering a marked deterioration in the sense of belonging and the feeling of pride, a distinctive characteristic of the citizens of El Trébol.  

As part of the field work of the Local Innovators Program, 20 surveys were carried out among the city's merchants, who were asked about the commercial deterioration of the traditional downtown area. The results show that 25% pointed to poor lighting, 14% to the lack of parking space, 14% to the lack of brightness of the center, 11% to the cleanliness and 11% assigned to the merchants, the lack of innovation to attract more customers. In addition, the same people surveyed asked for: 38% affordable credit, 13% tax promotions, 12% credit card financing. This reflects self-criticism on the part of shop owners and calls for action in terms of infrastructure.  

The government and the CEPAA (Chamber of Commerce) take as a background the lack of links between the State and other actors, the lack of listening and the absence of joint projects between the public and private sectors. The government's objective is to build a fluid relationship with commerce, neighbors and entrepreneurs in order to, together, restore the city's true economic potential. In line with this, the CEPAA's objective is to promote local economic growth and development in order to turn El Trébol into a leading local and regional commercial center, generating not only wealth but also a significant impact on job creation.

• Lighting of traditional commercial center: To change from sodium to LED lighting fixtures and place luminous garlands, small actions will be carried out to improve commercial areas such as replacing the reflectors in the flowerbeds, hanging garlands on the corners and replacing sodium lighting fixtures with LEDs.
• Improving city access infrastructure: The aim is to illuminate 4 entrances to the city, install 2 city entrance arches, and paint and illuminate the city's sentry boxes. To this end, interventions will be made at the entrances to the city and on the ring road, making the city more attractive and modern, inviting the region to visit it.
• Audiovisual campaign of the sense of belonging: To highlight all the virtues of the city, increasing the sense of belonging of the citizens, an audiovisual campaign of 6 videos will be made: Chapter 1: Gastronomy, Chapter 2: Commerce, Chapter 3: Industry, Chapter 4: Places, Chapter 5: Clubs (made), Chapter 6: People of El Trébol.
• Actions at festivals/mass events in the city: Disseminate the 6 videos created at events through actions to disseminate the audiovisual campaign at mass events in the city, including shows, free and public cinemas and exhibitions.
• Entrepreneurial mindset training: train the city's entrepreneurs to become skilled entrepreneurs by training, together with CEPAA, merchants to develop and deepen the entrepreneurial mindset.

Direct results:

• Illuminate the traditional commercial center, change 50 reflectors of the central flowerbeds and place 28 LED screens for high columns.
  
• Enhance the value of the 4 main accesses, intervene 3 sentry boxes in 2 volunteer days and place 126 LED screens of 150 watts on the road.
• Make 6 audiovisual campaign videos.
• Conduct 500 surveys to neighbors
• Attendance of 50% of families to cultural events.
• Surpass the 16,000 people who visited the beer festival (2023) and the 120 entrepreneurs who took part.
• Diffusion in 5 city events (sporting, cultural).

Expected impact:

• Increase by 50% the sales of businesses in 3 years, considering the amount and volume of sales.
  
• Reach at least 7,500 people attending sporting events in the city in 2 years, starting from a base of 5,000 people.
• Reach at least 20,000 people attending the annual Beer Festival next year, starting from a base of 16,000.
• Increase the sense of belonging of the neighbors based on a survey with a 6-month belonging indicator.

• CAT Mutual (Club Atlético Trebolense)
• Mutual Tais (Residents of the Tais Neighborhood)
• Mutual Sociedad Italiana (Italian Society)
• Conecta con nosotras Community
• Feria de lo Nuestro Municipal Group

• Natalia Sanchez, Intendente, Lider Municipal, intendente@eltrebol.gov.ar
• Massaccesi Florencia, Vicepresidenta CEPAA - Emprendedora, Líder Social, mfm.contacto@gmail.com