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Main Street Revitalization in Beattyville (4 of 12) Posted: April 30, 2002 Get Ready. Company is Coming! Fourth of twelve articles first published in the "Three Forks Tradition" newspaper By: Larrey Riddle Paint the Town Yellow Paint the town green. Paint the town purple, if you like. A number of years ago, I am told, the debate on what color to paint the newly restored City Hall was a lively one. Now, as we are presented with the opportunity to revitalize Beattyville’s downtown, the need for consensus is even more important. The decisions necessary for that process to succeed are complicated and without teamwork and participation of a wide group of people, can be difficult. What is needed is a plan, Stan. Two weeks ago, we invited everyone to a “town meeting” to discuss the benefits and process for Beattyville to become a Kentucky Renaissance community. There was a good turnout. People came because they care about the direction our town goes. It was a good beginning. But, in a sense, it was also putting the cart before the horse. Before we can even begin the process of a Main Street revitalization, we need an organization that can build consensus and establish a plan. While advocating the importance of a grassroots initiative, we were ignoring the fact that revitalizing Main Street is not necessarily what people wanted. Therefore, without any further ado, I would like to propose the formation of a Downtown Association. The first order of business is to develop a “business plan” for downtown Beattyville. Like any good business plan it should identify assets and establish goals and objectives for the enterprise. It will provide a vision for where we are going. It will identify the hazards along the way, which can prevent us from getting there. It is a roadmap for where we go from here. At the end of that process, the group may decide that the best thing for Main Street is to paint the town yellow. The group might decide to return to horse drawn wagons, or put on afternoon tea dances. Alternatively, we might decide to do nothing at all. And maybe, just maybe, the group will decide to put aside differences and pull together to begin a Main Street revitalization project. Whatever is decided, it will be a decision made by the group. Join the discussion this Thursday, February 7th at the PEP offices in the Congleton Building on Main Street at 7:00 p.m. Please note that the location has been changed to make room for more people. Everyone is welcome. Your active participation is needed. |
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