Meeting Introduces Main Street Program
Planning over the past year came to fruition this past week as representatives of the Ohio Main Street Program visited Barnesville for a two-day Downtown Area Resource Team (D.A.R.T) visit.
Ohio Heritage Director of Revitalization Frances Jo Hamilton and Assistant Director of Revitalization Lorna Swisher shared information on nationally-recognized downtown revitalization program that was established by the National Trust of Historic Preservation in 1980.
Heritage Ohio is a statewide partner of the nationally-recognized downtown revitalization initiative now called Main Street America.
On Tuesday, Hamilton and Swisher toured downtown unassisted, had lunch with a stakeholder group volunteers that local organizers Bruce Yarnall and Coty Marcum-Welsh have assembled over the past year, followed by a Yarnall led detailed two-hour tour of the downtown streets and alleys.
Tuesday evening the Ohio Heritage Team presented information and led a workshop for the 40 plus local officials, business and building owners and interested citizens.
Wednesday morning stakeholders started the process of laying the groundwork for a 2026 launch of Main Street Barnesville.
As part of the D.A.R.T. process, the local community will be an affiliate Ohio Main Street member next year. The initial $5,000 assessment and membership costs were covered by a matching grant from Heritage Ohio and financial contributions from a coalition consisting of the Village of Barnesville, Barnesville Area Chamber of Commerce and Belmont County Tourism Council.
For more information on the program contact Yarnall at 202-236-5633 or bruce.yarnall@outlook.com .
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Background
The Main Street Approach is a framework for revitalizing downtown areas, focusing on eight guiding principles:
Comprehensive Approach: A holistic strategy that includes all aspects of revitalization.
Incremental Change: Small, manageable steps lead to significant improvements over time.
Self-Help: Local leaders and community members are essential for success.
Partnerships: Collaboration between public and private sectors is vital for effective revitalization.
Asset-Based: Leveraging the unique assets of the community, such as historic buildings.
Design: Enhancing the physical and visual aspects of the district.
Promotion: Creating a positive image and positioning the district as a hub of activity.
Organization: Establishing a strong foundation for sustainable revitalization efforts.
These principles guide communities in developing strategies to enhance their downtowns and drive economic growth.
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