Friends of Main Street celebrates another year

WINSTED — Members of the community development organization Friends of Main Street held their annual meeting Thursday, July 8, electing a slate of officers to another one-year term and reaffirming their commitment to continued downtown revitalization.

Fran Delaney was reelected president, along with Vice President Robert Beck, Secretary Jan Roy and Treasurer Sandra Scaviola. Delaney said the past year has seen a flurry of activity, including community cleanups, holiday events, summer concerts, a Valentine’s Day wine and chocolate tasting, the release of a local walking guide, local business meet-and-greets and the new edition of Winsted’s local phone directory, The Laurel Book.

“Over the past several weeks we’ve had volunteers cleaning up along the river and on Main Street,†Delaney said in a lecture hall in the Art and Science Center at Northwestern Connecticut Community College. “I hope you’ve noticed it.†Delaney also thanked Friends of Main Street Executive Director Helen Bunnell for keeping the organization running as Connecticut’s struggling economy has resulted in cuts to many community organizations.

Despite financial challenges, Bunnell thanked the Town of Winchester for its support of Friends of Main Street and for cooperative efforts made through the town’s Public Works Department. She said Friends of Main Street is working on improving communications with the community as the group continues its mission to support a successful business and retail climate downtown.

Promotions Committee Chairman Amy Gifford-Knapp gave a detailed summary of Friends of Main Street’s major accomplishments during the past year, which most recently included mulching and planting flowers along Main Street with the help of Public Works employees. Town employees trucked in the mulch and shoveled it onto the median, where Friends of Main Street volunteers helped restore the streetscape.

Gifford-Knapp added that this year’s Bubbles & Truffles wine and chocolate tasting in February was well-attended and that other fund-raising efforts have been received with enthusiasm by townspeople. Last year’s Fall Foliage Festival took a beating from unpleasant weather, but Gifford-Knapp said there was a surprisingly good turnout for the abbreviated affair.

Former Friends President John Morici said Friends of Main Street is working closely with the town’s Economic Development Commission, which he chairs, and that a core group of town residents is focused on developing plans that will fit in with Winsted’s newest Plan of Conservation and Development.

One aspect of downtown planning Morici stressed is the availability of public parking. He noted that town officials are planning to paint parking lines on Main Street to designate individual spaces, which will allow more cars to fit along the road. “It’s going to increase parking by 30 percent,†he said, adding that some local residents are not aware of the public parking available in municipal lots.

Morici also told group members to get ready for Phase 2 of the public Main Street Enhancement Project. The work, approved by the state, is expected to begin next September and be completed by July of 2012. This phase of the three-stage project will extend the median and upgraded sidewalks east to Chestnut Street and west to  High Street.

Morici gave a speech in tribute to his friend and colleague Ernie Wolff, one of the founders of Friends of Main Street (see story this page), to conclude his comments. Members applauded the group’s accomplishments and adjourned to Winsted’s first summer concert of the season in East End Park with the Litchfield Dance Party.

Anyone interested in joining Friends of Main Street is encouraged to visit friendsofmainstreet.org or call the group’s downtown office at 860-738-3351.

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