Heritage Ohio gives Main Street basics

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Van Wert development officials, business people and other interested individuals receives basic training on downtown development during its Main Street 101 presentation Wednesday at the Black Swamp Bistro.

Main Street Van Wert Interim Program Manager Adam Ries said he thought the presentation was well received by those who attended.

“It really went well,” Ries said. “There were lots of two-way conversations throughout the presentation. Afterwards, everyone said they really took a lot with them.”

Prior to lunch, the presentation included a summary of how Van Wert became a Main Street community, the information Heritage Ohio looks for before it gives out the title of “Main Street” to a community and what Heritage Ohio expects from a Main Street community.

After lunch, the presentation touched on the four main areas of the Main Street program: leadership, design, marketing and business enhancement — which are also the names of the four standing committees of the local Main Street program — and provided lots of examples of projects communities have done to solve a problem.

Ries said that, instead of providing general information on programs and projects, the Heritage Ohio presentation, headed by Frank Quinn, associate revitalization director, provided more “real-world” solutions to possible problems.

“They were saying ‘this is a proven program, we’re not just telling you this information, we’re going to help you implement it and here are several communities who have already done it and it works,’” Ries said of the presentation.

The local Main Street program manager said the Heritage Ohio representatives had the answers to questions asked by those who attended, even though some of those were fairly specific, seeking answers to building code and ADA questions.

“These guys are extremely knowledgeable, if they don’t have the answer on the top of their heads, they had the resources there to answer the question immediately,” Ries noted.

One message Ries said he felt was important for the community to know is that Heritage Ohio continues to support Van Wert, even though the local Main Street program has fallen on harder times the last few years because of the recession and continuing economic downturn.

“We’re affiliated with Heritage Ohio and they haven’t written us off,” Ries said. “They want to be actively involved in their communities as much as they can.”