The downtown district in the town where I live looks like downtown districts in small towns everywhere: Three blocks of two-story century-old brick buildings in red, rust, and brown, lining the Main Street shopping district, placed right off the highway that connects our little slice of heaven to the rest of the world.
In decades, and indeed centuries past, downtowns were the hub of communities. They’re where everything happened and where people gathered and shopped. But then cars became common, suburbs developed, shopping malls were erected, and large chain stores with sprawling layouts and massive inventories became preferable as downtowns became deserted. And many downtown areas, including in my hometown, fell into disrepair in the latter part of the 20th century.
But, over the past forty-or-so years, organizations have been working diligently to revitalize downtown districts and elevate them to the stature and beauty they once knew.
Grant programs now exist to tuckpoint brick, replace windows, improve sidewalks, and reclaim upper stories of buildings from their sad fates as dilapidated storage spaces back into rental apartments and gorgeous owner-occupied condominiums. Building improvements and projects to revitalize city assets are the most known methods of downtown revitalization. But Chambers of Commerce, Economic Development Groups, and Downtown District Committees devoting their efforts to Shop Local campaigns, events designed to draw people downtown, and new business development and attraction programs are revitalizing downtowns, too.
Public art, like murals and sculptures, revitalizes communities (we will be talking more about this soon). “Butt Brigade” groups that pick-up cigarette butts and litter downtown on Sunday mornings, after weekend revelry but before church, are also doing revitalization.
My point is it doesn’t just take massive grants and government programs and official organizations to pull off a revitalization effort. If you care and are doing something to help your town, you are participating in revitalizing that community – and in towns with small populations and small community organizations it really does take all of us. Pick up a piece of trash instead of stepping over it. Pull a couple weeds if you see them instead of always complaining and waiting for the city to do it. Get involved with, and show up to, downtown events. At the bare minimum, shop local when possible.
Even if your downtown has seen better days. Even if nobody has picked up the torch of applying for grants or planning events yet. Even if you can’t stand your city government. If you have pride in your community and you want a nice place to live, especially in a rural area, you need to get involved. When it comes to the health of your hometown, downtown matters.
Sara Middleton is a correspondent and columnist for Mid-America Publishing and resident artist/owner of Studio Sol Gallery & Creative Space in Eagle Grove, Iowa. Email her at sara.studiosol@gmail.com or find her at http://studiosolllc.com
