Seven Indiana Main Street communities will participate in Community Transformation Workshops with the assistance of National Main Street Center consultants from November through February. Among the group is the City of Jasper.
The seven organizations volunteered to be the part of this pilot program sponsored by the Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) Indiana Main Street Program. The two-day workshops will help continue the advancement of each communities’ downtown area. The other six communities are Angola, Beech Grove, Madison, Peru, Terre Haute and Winamac.
These workshops provide services to assist the Indiana Main Street organizations to define community-informed and market-driven strategies that can direct and strengthen its revitalization efforts.
Matt Wagner, Vice President of Revitalization Programs for National Main Street says they believe the seven communities will be able to implement the recommendations and demonstrate a measurable impact to be a case study for the other Main Street communities in Indiana.
Wagner says community engagement and enthusiasm will make for a dynamic and successful program!
Jodi Golden, OCRA Executive Director says all seven communities have demonstrated the effective implementation of the Main Street Four Point Approach, and says the ‘refreshed’ Main Street Approach will help each community and their Main Street organizations identify and build on its greatest economic strengths through targeted community development strategies while continuing to use the Four Point Approach.
Golden says their goal for each Indiana Main Street organizations is to have a comprehensive plan to guide their work for the next three to five years.
The visits will involve community input by a pre-visit survey, research on market conditions, specific gaps, and key opportunities that can strengthen the downtown district.
For information on the sessions being held in Jasper, contact Nancy Eckerle at the Jasper Chamber of Commerce at 812-482-6866 or email chamber@jasperin.org.
