Around Ashland Spring 2008

ADI ON THE MOVE DOWNTOWN “FACELIFTS” COMMUNITY CALENDAR ....... .1

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ADI, YOU’VE COME A LONG WAY W HAT’S UP WITH US BOROUGH NEWS DID YOU KNOW FROM THE CHAMBER........... 2


BE PROUD...ASHLAND IS A MAIN STREET COMMUNITY! PLEASE REMEMBER TO SUPPORT OUR BUSINESSES AND

BUY

LOCAL!

ASHLAND DOW NTOW N, INC.

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Around Ashland

OUR MISSION Ashland Downtown, Inc. seeks a vibrant, attractive downtown by preserving its architectural charm, promoting economic vitality and marketing its historic and cultural resources.

ADI on the move We are pleased to introduce Around Ashland, the inaugural issue of the quarterly newsletter of Ashland Downtown, Inc. (ADI). It is our hope that ADI, through issues of Around Ashland, will keep you up to date on our exciting revitalization projects and programs. These will contribute to achieving our goal of revitalizing Ashland’s downtown to become a hub of activity and the “heart” of our community once again. Beginning in early 2004, ADI became involved in a program to strengthen functioning community partnerships, particularly with the Ashland Borough Council, community organizations, and businesses. Working together, our goal is to develop and implement a downtown revitalization volunteer driven effort which would foster economic growth and improve the quality of life for residents.

ORGANIZATION means getting everyone working towards common goals; ECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING means finding new or better purposes for Main Street enterprises. These four components will be explained in greater detail in future issues of Around Ashland. In closing, ADI would like to wish Steve Ulceski the very best as he leaves us to further his professional career. We would also like to extend a warm welcome to Tom Joyce, Ashland’s new Borough Manager. We all look forward to working with you, Tom.

It is a privilege to serve as Ashland’s first Main Street Manager and to work with the ADI volunteers who have given their time and energy in furthering the ADI mission. If Around Ashland excites interest in how the reader might assist ADI in its endeavors, it would be The ADI program is modeled after “The Main Street great to hear from you. If you have any questions or Approach to Downtown Revitalization,” a compreobservations, please contact me at 875-3571, or visit hensive community-based plan developed by the the ADI office at 733 Centre Street. Log onto National Trust for Historic Preservation, which has www.upperschuylkill.com where you’ll find interestfour key components: ing information about Ashland. DESIGN means getting Main Street in top physical We look forward to hearing from you, shape; PROMOTIONS means selling the image and promise of Main Street to all prospects;

Gregory W. Fisher Ashland Main Street Manager

DOWNTOWN FACELIFTS Thanks to ADI’s annual budget which provides matching funds for property owners for façade improvements, each of our projects to date are sticking out like a healed thumb. As business and property owners witness the transformation thru improvements such as The News-Item pictured at left, The Donut Shop, China III, McCabe property, Heart ‘N Home and Eye-Sense, our design committee has been receiving many inquiries from interested candidates hoping for the same result to their properties. For those interested, the process is simple and painless. Contact the ADI office at 875-3571 to obtain an application, program guidelines, and some instruction from PAST PRESENT Greg or log onto www.upperschuylkill.com and click on Design Challenge Grant Program. Our creative design committee will review your application, study your building, create a rendering, and then meet with you to review your options. As agreement is reached, the next step is to begin the restoration project. Sounds easy? It really is! However, the design committee wishes to leave potential applicants with this important thought before you move ahead. Will the restoration “impact” my buildings appearance as well as enhance the historical charm of Ashland Downtown? If the answer is yes, come see us NOW! If you are not sure, we can help you with design ideas and much more. Until then, keep looking for the next façade improvement project coming to a downtown property near you. Ashland is truly back on the move and in the right direction.

S UPPORT ASHLAND Community Calendar April 1 Ashland Teeners Fundraiser (Daily Lottery number tickets) April 4 St . Catherine’s Medical Center Uniform Sale April 5 Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Ham & Scalloped Potatoes Dinner April 6-April 25 Ashland Area Girls Softball Assoc. Fundraiser (Zap-A-Snack/Pizza Sale) April 13 Zion’s Reformed Church-Penny Auction April 17 Upper Schuylkill-“A Taste of Upper Schuylkill” April 19 Ashland Rotary-SKIP Spring clean up April 26 North Schuylkill Youth Soccer Assoc. Tina Tournament/Family Fun Day Proceeds benefit local family May 1 Ashland Little League Fundraiser (Daily Lottery Calendar) May 3 Ashland Area Girls Softball Assoc. Opening Day Parade May 3 Ashland Rotary Dick Canfield Pet Walk for Literacy May 3 Methodist Presbyterian Women’s Society Basket Bingo May 3 Ashland Chamber of Commerce Community Wide Yard Sale May 3-July 31 Ashland Area Girls Softball Assoc. Fundraiser (Lottery Tickets) May 7-9 Order of the Eastern Star, Peanut Butter Cup Sale May 11 DARE “Elementary Mothers Day Program” May 14 Zion’s Reformed U.C.C, Roast Beef Dinner May 18 Ashland Downtown, Inc., Vera Bradley Bingo May 31 Ashland Downtown Tidy Towns Crew Clean-up June 2-6 Borough Clean Up June 15 Zion’s Reformed U.C.C, Bake-less Bake Sale June 27 & 28 The Catholic Churches of Ashland Summer Festival Weekly events St. Joseph’s Hall, Bingo Every Friday night Yearly Lottery Calendars Washington Fire Co. No. 1 January 1 through December 31 Join the Downtown Team! ADI Monthly Meetings 1st Monday—Design 2nd Monday—-Economic Restructuring 3rd Monday—Board of Directors/Organization 4th Monday—Promotions Borough Council Meeting 2nd Wednesday of Month

ADI, you’ve come a long way!

W HAT ’ S UP WITH US

A Main Street program is an opportunity for everyone of all ages to become involved in their community. Planning special projects and making positive change is exciting and worth everyone’s time and effort.

Four short years ago, the Upper Schuylkill Regional Main Street program began and brought Six Great Towns together while developing local downtown organizations in each community. With that news, the Ashland folks gathered quickly with enthusiasm, energy, and great ideas. Before we knew it, a board of directors and four committees using the Main Street approach were up and running and on the way to incorporation and a 501c3, non-profit status. Special projects were undertaken to include downtown clean ups, the Ashland AppleFest, Old Fashioned Christmas, Homecoming, Hoffman Boulevard Landscaping,

Farmers Market, planters and planter initial goal of $175,000 and has sales, street banners, litter receptacles, recently reached $215,000. In and much more! In other words, October, 2006, Ashland was one of twenty communities volunteers welcomed “The end result of working the opportunity and designated as an offiran with it! Officials hard and working together will be a cial PA Main Street at Community Banks, safe, clean and green Ashland and Community. With this a great place to call home” now Susquehanna title comes many reBank of PA, were so impressed with sponsibilities and opthe concept they offered their beauti- portunities for Ashland over the ful second story office and meeting next several years with the help room as a place to call “home.” M&T and support from the Borough, jumped right in and provided office additional volunteers and particifurniture while the ADI volunteers pation by the business commupainted and freshened up their new nity. Facade improvements to enhance an already beautiful artreasure. chitectural charm, new sidewalks While new projects and programs and landscaping, and new busiwere implemented, ADI volunteers nesses improving Ashland’s tax stayed focused on becoming a PA base are on the rise. designated Main Street Community, knowing the program was highly The end result of working hard competitive. With determination and and working together will be a hard work, the Campaign for Ashland safe, clean, and green Ashland began and has now grown beyond the and a great place to call home.

Upper Schuylkill The answer is “a lot”! Six Boroughs...Six Downtown Organizations...24 Committees...31 Steering Committee Members...Projects and more projects to improve our Six Great Towns… And WE LOVE IT! Could not ask for a better time to come out and join in as a volunteer! These are exciting times for Upper Schuylkill, folks! Our program is evolving like it should and on schedule. Operational and special project funding until 2012 has been secured thanks to Senator Jim Rhoades and the PA Department of Community and Economic Development. Additional funding partners are ARDCO (Area Revitalization and Development Corporation), County of Schuylkill, Schuylkill River Heritage, PPL Utilities, and our six Upper Schuylkill municipalities. Special project funds through Representatives Goodman and Argall have been extremely helpful and appreciated, as well.

BOROUGH NEWS

Our new Design Challenge Grant Program is making a huge impact. Tidy Mary and her Tidy Towns Crew will be out there Working in partnership, the Borough of Ashland and ADI have been involved in the development of a Streetscape project in the downtown area, designed to create a soon using our new equipment to clean safer and more attractive environment for pedestrians and motorists. To date, fund- your downtown, so please help them out when you can. We’ll be seeing a great ing, in the amount of $122,951, has been secured from PennDOT Hometown reinvestment to the physical environment Streets Program, with an additional $99,560 from US Department of Agriculture. Construction will begin in April to upgrade the Four Corner area at 3rd and Centre in our downtowns through streetscape Streets, with additional work being designed to replace sidewalks to 4th and Centre projects and property improvements this Don’t miss visiting Pioneer spring. We look forward to an approved Street. Funding for design and engineering has been secured through Upper Tunnel and the Anthracite grant application in the amount of $1M for Schuylkill. These Streetscape improvements will include curb and sidewalk reMuseum of Mining this summer placements, as well as the planting of trees in select areas. even more improvements to the region Log onto next year, and new business and job creaIn addition, the Borough and ADI have been working to upgrade and enforce www.pioneertunnel.com tion in downtown is on the rise. ordinances to assure consistency throughout Ashland in seeking to promote ecofor this year’s schedule. Upper Schuylkill Homecoming Weekend nomic vitality and marketing of the town’s historical and cultural resources. plans are almost final, so get ready for another great Labor Day Weekend in Ashland Area Historic 2008!

Did you know?

and Preservation Society

A toll road, called the Centre Turnpike, wound its way through the area where Ashland is situated. It was a direct route from Reading to Sunbury.

Estates in honor of Henry Clay’s home near Lexington Kentucky. Clay was a strong advocate of high tariffs on imports. When the tariff went into effect, it halted the flow of The first interest in this area was the imported coal—mostly from Wales. virgin forest for timber. With the Should the local landowners strike discovery of coal in the region, and its the mineral in this area they stood to growing importance as a fuel, there profit greatly, through Clay’s efforts. was a new attraction. A frequent Samuel Grant later bought Burd traveler on the Centre Turnpike was a Pottsville resident, Burd S. Patterson. Patterson’s interest in the tract. As he gazed up the sloping ravine John Brock handled most of the land running westward from the Mahanoy deals. A stone house called the Creek, he envisioned a prosperous Brock cottage stood at Seventeenth town. He was criticized for even and Centre Streets until 1911. It was mentioning the idea of a town in such taken down to construct the W.C. a forsaken place and it was referred to Estler School. In 1864, Brock died as “Patterson’s folly”. He persuaded in London, England, but his heirs John Penn Brock and James A. Hart, took over his affairs until the Ashof Philadelphia, to go into partnerland Estates was sold to the Philaship with him. The original purchase delphia and Reading, Coal and Iron of 800 acres of land was made in Company in 1870. 1845, and was named Ashland

From the Chamber

The Ashland Chamber of Commerce is hoping to replace the existing Christmas lights and are exploring style and pricing. Fundraising efforts and community involvement will be a key factor. Special fundraising with funds earmarked for this project is being planned. Plans are also underway for the 2nd annual “Ashland Area Community Wide Yard Sale” on May 3. This is a community wide event with tables set up at Higher Ups Park as well as yard sales throughout the borough. Yard Sale Maps will be printed and those who would like to participate must purchase a spot on the map. Refreshments will be available. Help us make this event a huge success and get your yard sale items ready by May 3rd!

OUR VISION

Ashland Downtown, Inc. 733 Centre Street, Ashland, PA 17921 570-875-3571 www.upperschuylkill.com

Ashland shall promote its architecture to both residential and commercial opportunities. Ashland will also enhance and market its historical and cultural resources for tourism. Located at the intersection of routes 54 and 61, Ashland will serve as a western gateway into the region. Ashland shall build upon its potential for tourism by connecting local historical and cultural sites through a coordinated transportation and consistent “way finding” system within the region. Ashland shall become the arts and heritage hub of the Upper Schuylkill region. Help us achieve our Vision for Ashland...become an ADI volunteer!

Find out more about US at the Taste of Upper Schuylkill in Frackville on April 17th. www.upperschuylkill.com

So, what does downtown revitalization mean to those living in neighborhoods outside of downtown?

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home and rent values increase; better shopping and benefits of shopping local; a sense of pride; social and cultural activities; opportunity to keep young people in town;

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tax dollars stay in the community;

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and an improved quality of life for all PLUS a positive perception of YOUR TOWN!

more and more tourism; reduced vandalism and crime;