Keynote speakers Deena Kershner, Executive Director of Our Town Foundation, and Nancy Brooks, Main Street Manager for Kutztown Community Partnership, provided a presentation on Main Street Programs in Hamburg and Kutztown during the Northeast Berks Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting on Nov. 20.
“We hope to educate our chamber members about the accomplishments of area Main Street Programs and to consider the ways in which these organizations positively impact businesses within and surrounding these boroughs,” Northeast Berks Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lori B. Donofrio-Galley told The Patriot. “Inviting participation is a next step towards sustaining these benefits.”
She said building a vital business community and shaping its future hinges on the cooperation of many stakeholders towards a shared vision
“Both Kutztown Community Partnership and the Our Town Foundation have successfully instituted community structures that drive initiatives, improvements, programs, and events,” said Donofrio-Galley. “The documented response to events such as the Bicentennial and the Taste of Hamburg-er Festival, for example, demonstrates the value of their contributions to area businesses, nonprofits, residents, and local government entities.”
Kershner opened the presentation, emphasizing the importance of borough council’s support of Main Street Programs to revitalize downtown.
Established in 2001, OTF’s goal was to revitalize downtown Hamburg with $1.5 million streetscape improvements, facade improvements, provide networking opportunities, create a website, promote downtown Hamburg through social media, brochures and host events such as the Taste of Hamburg-er Festival.
The Festival began in 2004 with about nine vendors, now there are about 30 vendors plus crafters and artists. About 1,000 people attended the first festival compared to the 40,000 that attended this year.
“That’s an event that takes people directly to the downtown. People support the businesses that day,” said Kershner, who was hired as OTF’s first manager in 2003. “(Taste of Hamburg-er Festival) has been great for the community and a great fundraiser for Our Town Foundation.”
Kershner listed OTF’s many accomplishments and projects, including grants to help owners make home improvements, creation of the Hamburg Community Wildlife Habitat Project, the formation of the Hamburg Art Alliance in 2006 and opening of the Art and Craft Gallery, and connecting trails from downtown to the park and into Tilden Township and beyond, connecting to the Schuylkill River Greenway Association trail system.
“We have a trail system right in our backyard,” she said.
Hamburg was recognized as a National Historic District for its architecture in 2010. Also, Schuylkill River Heritage Towns and Tours funded tour brochures and the installation of signs and historical markers. In 2011, the PA Department of Community & Economic Development accepted Hamburg into the Elm Street Program.
In 2013, OTF purchased The Hamburg Strand in an effort to prevent the theater from closing. A two-year fundraising campaign of $125,000 enabled The Strand to convert to digital and make improvements to the theater.
“A lot came from the community and beyond,” said Kershner.
Kershner concluded by recognizing OTF President Steve Kiefer and the many volunteers at OTF.
“None of this would have happened without our strong volunteers,” said Kershner.
Nancy Brooks, KCP Main Street Manager in Kutztown, asked Chamber members to think back to their childhoods.
“You’re 10 years old and you are headed downtown. You might be going to a festival, perhaps some holiday event where there are decorations, and foods and the smells that go with those foods, maybe you are attending a play, or shopping, or dining out. You are on your Main Street in your hometown,” said Brooks. “Each hometown is different and holds a different host of feeling, sights, and sounds.”
Her hometown of Louisville, Kentucky was set along the Ohio River, with several bridges crossing over it, and an old fashioned paddle boat docked in the harbor, tall buildings, and at certain times of year busy, crowded streets, she said.
“In comes a new era and now imagine yourself at the mall, large parking lots filled with cars, big box stores with multiple items exactly alike in all shapes and sizes, the smell of food court food, music piping through the speakers and at the holidays, fake Santa in the courtyard,” she said.
“Meanwhile many downtowns became neglected. There were wig shops and pool halls where Malt Shoppes and Macy’s used to be. This change stirred a vision.”
Brooks said that nationally and at the local level, the Pennsylvania Downtown Centers noticed a need for revitalization of downtowns, and Main Street organizations began popping up in both large and small communities.
“One by one communities began to breathe life back into their downtowns,” said Brooks.
In 2002 a small group of citizens, including Kutztown Mayor Sandy Green, adopted a Main Street Program in Kutztown, called Kutztown Community Partnership.
“Since then board members and managers have come and gone, but programming and efforts continue to grow,” said Brooks.
One of KCP’s defining moments was the facade program, led by Design Chairperson Diane Piscitelli and financially supported by the Department of Commerce and Economic Development.
“This program was designed to spur economic development while adding the added benefit of improving the appearance of facades of the downtown buildings,” she said.
Brooks said that today KCP hosts multiple projects, many focused on benefiting Kutztown’s town/gown relationship with Kutztown University. KUBoK is the town safety walk, run Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights each weekend and aimed at providing student and community safety. Each Sunday KCP holds a community wide town cleanup, lead by efforts of a social work student intern.
“On average we have 40 people a weekend come out at noon on Sunday to clean up the remains of the weekend celebration. On one weekend this semester Jake was able to recruit 235 students from Greek organizations on campus to join us for cleanup,” she said.
Through the additional leadership of Social Work Supervisor Arabel Elliot and new Chair Sandy Green, further initiatives are being developed that should bring better trash receptacles and recycling programs to the community, said Brooks.
“We work with a school district initiative aimed at reducing the abuses of drugs and alcohol within the youth of our community, led by School District Superintendent Kathy Metrick. Working with Kutztown Strong, as the group is known, has garnered the Kutztown Community Partnership the Caron Award for Community Leadership for an Institution,” said Brooks.
KCP hosted a large series of events in 2015 aimed at celebrating Kutztown’s Bicentennial.
“Led by Chairperson Craig Koller and his large committee, the town truly celebrated community and history all week long,” she said.
KCP continues to host several regular events such as the CommUnity Block Party, the Kutztown car Kruizz, Dinner on Main and Christmas in Kutztown on Dec. 5 from noon until 6 p.m. on Main Street.
Concluding, Brooks acknowledged Kutztown Community Partnership board members in attendance.
“Board members span our community and help us to achieve our goals.”
Brooks also thanked Donofrio-Galley and the Chamber for KCP’s recent recognition of Advocate of the Year.
“We were surprised and honored. We look forward to many new initiatives that will continue to bring positive changes, and memory building moments to the downtown streets of Kutztown,” she said.
Brooks concluded with one final thought, “For those of you who have not visited us recently there are new and thriving businesses in our downtown. Visitors are always welcome and while ‘there is no place like home,’ we want you to enjoy our shops, and restaurants, and all that makes Kutztown a charming, and most agreeable town.”
Donofrio-Galley said that during the year, the Northeast Berks Chamber hosts eight Breakfast Programs-each one designed to introduce members to business resources and referrals, nonprofit and educational partners, and incoming members and to offer marketing opportunities. The next Breakfast Program, also the Chamber’s Annual Meeting, is Jan. 15. Gary Wagner, Regional Economic Advisor, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, will present an Economic Forecast, and new Board members will be introduced. Doors open at 7:30 a.m. at Berkleigh Golf Club, and Fleetwood Bank is the sponsor.
