Better Block Middlesborough Wins National CommunityMatters Successful Communities Contest

BETTER BLOCK MIDDLESBOROUGH WINS NATIONAL COMMUNITYMATTERS SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITIES CONTEST

Discover Downtown Middlesboro Awarded $500 to Make Downtown More Successful

Middlesborough, Kentucky – Better Block Middlesborough won $500 in the CommunityMatters Successful Communities Contest.

CommunityMatters asked people to come together, listen to their free conference call on the Secrets to Successful Communities with Ed McMahon of the Urban Land Institute, then decide on one completely achievable action for making their community more successful.  To sweeten the deal, the Orton Family Foundation sponsored the contest by offering $500 to four communities that came up with an idea or strategy for success.  The Orton Family Foundation works to build vibrant, enduring communities in the Northeast and Rocky Mountain West.

Better Block Middlesborough was chosen from among 16 entrants in the competition for the unique way that it is helping to address community challenges and build a more vibrant future.   Selected by online public voting, the four winning entries are:

-          Middlesboro, Kentucky (pop. 10,334): Discover Downtown Middlesboro plans to use temporary demonstrations to test out pop-up businesses, transform vacant lots, set up public seating in high traffic areas, and install signs that highlight future improvements. The two-day Better Block-style demonstration project will bring neighbors together to experience and envision the great potential for downtown.  

-          Silverton, Oregon (pop. 9,222): With a desire to inspire ongoing conversations about real and lasting community change, the Upstream Arts Collective plans to host curated conversations about the art of neighboring. Local community collaborators and neighborhood practitioners will share their stories in a fun and collaborative atmosphere.

-          Medfield, Massachusetts (pop. 12,024): Working to create a vibrant downtown, the Medfield Cultural District plans to revitalize an underutilized pocket park with community art. The project will ask community members to write their ideas for the park on a large chalkboard set up downtown. They also plan to do an art installation through the park featuring portraits of residents. 

-          Mountain View, Arkansas (pop. 2,748): A county seat characterized by a mix of artisans, professionals, retirees, retail and service occupations, this small town is an established tourist destination. People in Mountain View love to gather and play music of all sorts, and they do so nearly every weekend when the weather is good.  But traditional music is being lost to the prominence of more modern sounds; even the Arkansas Folk Festival is no longer truly “folk.” This group plans to create a music festival that will showcase traditional styles, seeking to protect local heritage and educate people about true old-time music.

DDM Executive Director Isaac Kremer said, “We are thrilled to have been the top vote getter nationally and to have received such strong support from our members, partners, and friends. As encouraging as this win is, we’re excited to show real results for the downtown one month from now.”

Want to volunteer to become part of the positive change happening downtown? Pick the shifts you want during the Better Block event using this online form.

Visit http://woobox.com/5omwgq to see the entrants and winners.

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About Discover Downtown Middlesboro

Discover Downtown Middlesboro (DDM) was founded in 2006. Concerned business owners, building owners, and residents came together to start this organization as a response to the perception of decline downtown. Very early on the organization chose the Four-Point Approach®  established by the National Main Street Center. This approach emphasizes grassroots community action in areas including: Organization, Promotion, Design, and Economic Restructuring.

Revitalization efforts gained greater intensity and focus in 2012. The organization acquired a major 27,000 square foot building downtown to renovate. The project is in the pre-development stage now and the desired outcome is to include residential housing on the upper floors and civic/community use on the ground floor. Groundwork is being laid to restore the historic canal that passes through town, as well as to create a walking and biking trail that connects the downtown with the nearby Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. www.downtownmiddlesboro.org

About CommunityMatters

CommunityMatters is an interactive exchange for individuals and organizations working to engage citizens and build strong, vibrant communities from the ground up. CommunityMatters fuels a growing network of leaders, thinkers and doers in a variety of disciplines – planning, sustainability, health, democracy, education, economic development, and the arts. CommunityMatters is a project of the Orton Family Foundation, in collaboration with other partners. www.communitymatters.org

About The Orton Family Foundation

The Orton Family Foundation believes that empowering people to shape the future of their communities will improve local decision-making, create a shared sense of belonging, and ultimately strengthen the social, cultural and economic vibrancy of each place. Orton helps communities navigate change by offering programs and tools that engage diverse groups of residents in collaborative discussions and decision-making driven by what they love most about their town—its “heart and soul.” www.orton.org