The people just keep coming. And their numbers are increasing. More than 37,000 people from Fayetteville and beyond attended a variety of events downtown last year, thanks in large part to the efforts of Main Street Fayetteville. The measure of those successful efforts were contained in the 2005 Annual Report released last week.

“To Main Street, part of our success is measured in the number of people we can introduce to the sites, sounds and tastes of downtown,” said Main Street Director Nancy Price. “The 2005 Annual Report reflects that success and we’re proud of what our downtown has to offer to individuals and families. We offered a sold-out concert series, two free concerts, three free Family Fun Nights, traditional free family events and many other events.”

And for Main Street, the events just keep on coming. A sampling of the well-attended entertainment opportunities included the Old Courthouse Art Show, A Dickens Christmas Tree Lighting, Tour de Georgia, a Taste of Fayette, Trick or Treat on Main Street, God and Country Night, Family Film Nights and a Memorial Day concert with the Atlanta Pops Orchestra.

Attendance at Main Street events has increased significantly since 2002, when approximately 24,000 people attended the various event offerings. That number has steadily grown to the more than 37,000 who attended in 2005.

Community members have also increased their participation in helping prepare and execute events. Main Street had the help of approximately 500 hours of volunteer participation each year from 2002-2004. But in 2005, volunteer assistance nearly went off the chart, with 2,500 hours of participation in the organization’s many events.

“Our success not only depends upon the community’s support, but for the tireless hours our volunteers give to us every year,” said Price. “It’s these folks who need the most recognition and to them I say, ‘Thank you for believing in our vision and helping us to make it come true.’”

“We’re getting a lot of good involvement from the community. In most communities running an amphitheater is a job in itself. But with all the Main Street efforts we are bringing a lot of people downtown. So I’m very proud of Main Street. We do so many things, that’s why we wanted to publish this report. And there is so much we do from an economic development standpoint,” Price said.

Concerts at the Villages Amphitheater continue to be a mainstay for Main Street, with more than 10,000 people attending events during 2005. The attendance and the finances involved were not missed by Main Street Chairman Lane Brown.

“We just finished our third season at the amphitheater and once again, we operated in the black,” he said. “The support of the community has been tremendous and we look forward to offering everyone more wonderful events this year.”

Mirroring that perspective, Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Chairman Al Hovey-King said the authority is committed to revitalize, enhance and stimulate the economic development of the downtown district while maintaining its historical integrity and charm.

“We’re proud of the business recruitment progress we have made,” Hovey-King said. “Private property investment experienced tremendous growth at $7.7 million which assisted in generating 34 new businesses and creating 93 new jobs in the Main Street district.”

Besides focusing on economic development downtown, DDA efforts also provided aesthetic improvements, purchased trash receptacles and park benches for downtown, new facility signage for the Hollingsworth House and Holiday-Dorsey-Fife House Museum and worked collaboratively with Main Street on a downtown website that will be completed this month.

DDA also assists businesses through special grant and low-interest fund programs. Two grants were awarded in 2005 which included the Travis House renovation.

And as for future Main Street projects, they include the nearly completed Welcome Center at the historic Train Depot, the creation of a train mural at a shopping center wall near the depot, amphitheater improvements to include a storage building and additional stairs on the sides by tiered tables, restoration of headstones at the historic City Cemetery and the addition of informative signage, lighting and landscaping.

Other efforts include expanded economic development and recruitment efforts through the DDA/Main Street website, newsletter and marketing package and continued work on the city’s Livable Centers Initiative.

Information about the efforts of Main Street and the Downtown Development Authority can be obtained by contacting the Main Street office at 770-461-6029.

login to post comments