Main Street Will Receive $100K From Revitalization Grant
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JACKSON – Water Valley is one of 48 Mississippi communities that will receive legislative funding through the Mississippi Main Street Association (MMSA) as part of a Main Street Community Revitalization Grant. The grant program will provide $5 million in funds for eligible projects in MMSA Designated Communities. Communities with a population under 25,000 which includes Water Valley will each receive $100,000, and communities over 25,000 population will each receive $125,000.
“I am very thankful for the work the Mississippi Main Street Association has done to make this happen,” Water Valley Main Street Association Director Alyssa Benedict said. “We are very excited about it.”
Benedict reported that the allocation will be a big boost for longterm projects that are on the drawing board in the city such as sidewalks, cross walks, more public arts and launching a Rails to Trails program. She shared that the local Main Street board will work on proposals in collaboration with city officials. The proposals will then be submitted to MMSA for final approval.
“The Mississippi Main Street Association serves the heart of our small business community in Mississippi which, in turn, is the heart of our local communities throughout the state,” said Trey Lamar, Ways and Means Chairman of the Mississippi House of Representatives. “I am honored to represent their interests at the Capitol and am pleased with the results we obtained this year.
“This year’s legislative success belongs to everyone in the Main Street family, and we look forward to working with all of our communities to implement these projects in Mississippi’s historic downtowns and districts,” said Thomas Gregory, MMSA Executive Director. “This funding will support visible improvements in our downtowns and will further revitalize the heart of Mississippi’s communities.”
Other Main Street
Activity
• Benedict shared that the Water Valley Main Street Association was also awarded a $7,500 grant from the Mississippi Hills Heritage Area for work at the Casey Jones Railroad Museum and depot building. The total cost of the project is $15,000, and includes upgrades in the museum ranging from adding interactive and visual exhibits to digitizing historical documents. Local historian Grant Thompson is partnering with Main Street on the museum work.
“Grant is digitizing documents in the museum and has a great layout plan,” Benedict reported about the work.
Benedict said the project also encompasses exterior work around the railroad depot that includes landscaping, signage and other aesthetic work. The city-owned building that houses the museum and Lions Club is leased by the Lions Club. Benedict shared that Main Street is with the city and the Lions Club on the project.
“The focus for Main Street will be on making it more appealing and attractive because it is the center of town,” she added about the exterior work at the building.
• In a separate grant, the Water Valley Main Street Association received a $2,500 Community Development Grant from Wal-Mart for design projects. The money will be utilized for two different projects – a sign project and Art Alley. Phase I of the sign project includes installing decorative light poles and is already underway. Art Alley will be a series of murals that line the small alley between the HTI building and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory on Main Street. Benedict reported the first mural will be on the corner of the HTI and visible from Main Street. Art Alley will be completed in eight sections as local artists are recruited for the work.
“It will be an entire alley full of art. Lighting will be added to make it visible,” Benedict added.
Funding for Art Alley and the sign project will also come from Main Street platinum partners ($5,000 or more) Mechanics Bank and Solero Technology.