A Productive Year For Manchester Main Street
NORTH MANCHESTER — Since 1989, Manchester Main Street has been committed to revitalizing and enhancing the rich cultural, natural and architectural resources that make North Manchester a unique and wonderful place to live. Due to the active participation and financial generosity of this great community, Manchester Main Street accomplished quite a bit over the past year.
Manchester Main Street coordinated the third annual Eel River Arts Festival showcasing North Manchester’s varied creative talent. The event encouraged tourism, instilled local pride and provided creative enrichment activities for all ages. And, the America in Bloom and North Manchester Garden Club committees collaborated with Peabody Retirement Community to re-plant nearly 7,000 tulip bulbs donated annually by The Hardware. Over time, the Peabody Tulip Program will create a welcoming patchwork of springtime blooms throughout North Manchester. Manchester Main Street offers personalized engraved pavers; 330 have been installed in the downtown sidewalks to date. All paver sales revenue is restricted to town improvement projects. Manchester Main Street is also exploring strategies to promote small business retention, recruitment and development.
The year marked the inaugural Manchester Main Street Preservation Awards, honoring individuals and entities for exemplary restoration efforts to make North Manchester a more beautiful place to live. The annual awards are intended to celebrate past work and encourage future projects promoting historic preservation.
For the holiday season, Manchester Main Street encourages Main Street corridor businesses to “Light Up The Town” by outlining their windows in white lights. Manchester Main Street adds to the festivities and downtown decorations with storefront holiday artwork by Manchester Community Schools’ students. And, to celebrate all these 2015 achievements, Manchester Main Street hosts an annual Holiday Gala. This exclusive event highlights North Manchester’s numerous attributes — historic buildings, great restaurants, diverse retail and multi-talented residents.
“Manchester Main Street represents a diverse range of age groups, businesses, and economic and community interests in North Manchester. It is by nature a community-driven process empowering local citizens to enact positive change,” said Renata Robinson, Manchester Main Street’s Executive Director.
Each year, Manchester Main Street targets specific town revitalization projects to capitalize on North Manchester’s diverse assets, stimulate the local economy, promote the town and enhance the surroundings. As project planning begins for 2016, Manchester Main Street welcomes new committee members and the public is invited to attend meetings to voice town improvement suggestions. There are six active committees: America in Bloom, Economic Restructuring, Historic Preservation & Design, Manchester PATH Group, North Manchester Garden Club and Promotion & Art.
“If you like what Manchester Main Street is doing, we also urge you to visit our website and download a 2016 Membership form,” said Robinson. Manchester Main Street is a 501(c)(3) Indiana not-for-profit corporation and accredited state Main Street organization.
Tax-deductible contributions will be reinvested back into the community, and helps build upon local pride, exceptional volunteerism and abundant talents. Manchester Main Street’s office is in the chamber building, 109 N. Market St., and Robinson encourages business owners and community members to stop in, gather more information and provide feedback. Contact Renata Robinson directly at (260) 901-6045 or [email protected].