WDDI seeks help on new Fish-Deck
Waynesboro Downtown Development Inc. is working on plans for a riverside observation deck downtown – and is asking for your help to bring the project to reality.
The effort to build what will be called the Waynesboro Fish-Deck has already won approval of grants from CSX and Virginia Main Street to the tune of $7,500. WDDI is now working to raise $20,000 in corporate and community donations.
The deck is planned for the area of the Dominion Virginia Power Pavilion in Constitution Park. The observation deck will be built into a moderately sloped, lightly wooded riverbank location. The deck will be sited about 30 feet behind the Dominion Pavilion and 15 feet inland from the river’s edge. The Pavilion hosts several popular riverfront festivals each year, including Riverfest, the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival and numerous other special events, corporate gatherings and picnics.
The deck has been artfully designed in the shape of a fish native to South River. Plans include interpretive signage for fish/wildlife resources as well as sponsor signage crediting CSX and other sponsors. A professional engineer has prepared detailed drawings of the deck, including color renderings and construction plans.
The deck will be built using high quality Trex composite lumber. The Trex Transcends product specified is well-known for its attractive appearance and overall durability. In addition to a long life span, this product does not cup or warp, is stain-resistant and can accommodate curved banding and other special features.
Upon completion, the city’s Parks and Recreation Department will maintain the deck. It will also be widely promoted to local and regional visitors by the city tourism department.
Contact Tom Carlsson (540.946.9230, t_carlsson@wrha.org) to explore how your organization might help WDDI bring this exciting new project to fruition.
Elvis has entered the building for Radio Hour
Elvis has been sighted and will becoming back to The River City Radio Hour for the Friday, Sept. 16 performances at 6:30 and 8:00 p.m. Also featured will be the Boogie Kings, Marsha Howard, Llyn Walker, and Chapter Two of Night Hawk and Murder Down On the Farm by Bob Crawford.
Elvis has been absent from the Radio Hour since August 2010. Audiences have been clamoring for his return. Fortunately, the Radio Hour caught sight of the absent singer and asked him to do a guest appearance at the September Radio Hour. Since Elvis is a fan of the Night Hawk series, he agreed to give his talent to the performances
Also on the bill are the Boogie Kings under the direction of the multi-talented Richard Adams. William Hayes with his amazing keyboard skills and J. T. Fauber on percussion complete the trio.
Waynesboro’s First Lady of Laughter, Marsha Howard, said “I watched the last Gateway Comedy Night and think I might just go on the road too.” Catch her before she decides to take on her own national tour.
Completing the evening will be jazz vocalist, Llyn Walker. Llyn gives Richard Adams a run for his money in the multi-talented arena. She will also join the River City Players for the second chapter of Night Hawk and Murder Down on the Farm. In the last chapter, the Night Hawk was trapped in the bull ring with a charging beast. No help was in sight.
The guest of the month will be Carmel Clavin of the Fall Foliage Art Show.
Tickets for the Radio Hour are $10. Food and beverages will be available. Reservations are available online at
www.waynesborogateway.com. Patrons can also call toll free 877-840-0457.
Bolling in town to present $770K CDBG check
Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling is no stranger to Downtown Waynesboro. “I have waded this trout steam many times,” said Bolling, an avid fly fisherman, at a Thursday-morning ceremony on the banks of the South River to formally mark the award by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development of a $770,000 grant to Waynesboro to go toward the Waynesboro Downtown Revitalization Project.
Bolling also owns a house at Wintergreen just up the Blue Ridge Parkway in Nelson County and shops in Waynesboro when he’s in the area as many Wintergreen denizens do. The lieutenant governor was in town over the weekend for lunch at Shoney’s and some shopping at the local Wal-Mart and Books-A-Million.
Today, Bolling toured downtown to talk with local business owners, including Webber Payne at Waynesboro Florist and John Denton at Denton & Co. Jewelers. He left impressed with the energy in the downtown district in the face of the ongoing tough economic climate.
“The thing that excites me most about this project is not just the effort to revitalize the downtown area, but then tie that downtown area together with the wonderful things that you have taking place here on the South River,” Bolling said.
The Waynesboro Downtown Revitalization Project was one of 12 community-improvement projects to receive CDBG funding in 2011. The project includes an economic restructuring plan and revitalization strategy for the downtown business district. The effort includes as partners Waynesboro Downtown Development Inc., the Waynesboro Redevelopment and Housing Authority and the city.
Augusta Free Press LLC designed the website for the downtown project – www.RevitalizingDowntownWaynesboro.org.
DHCD Director Bill Shelton credited the city, the RHA and WDDI for putting together a strong project proposal.
“The city has a well-developed and very well thought-out economic-development strategy, and that’s how these programs can come to Waynesboro. Every community wants them, but we want to pick communities for these programs where there’s a good chance of success. The quality of the strategy and your efforts certainly positioned you well for these programs,” Shelton said.
Downtown Waynesboro project gets CDBG funds
A Downtown Waynesboro revitalization project is among 12 in Virginia to receive Community Development Block Grant funding, Gov. Bob McDonnell announced today.
The Waynesboro Downtown Revitalization Project will receive $770,000 in CDBG funds.
The project includes an economic restructuring plan and revitalization strategy for the downtown business district. The effort includes as partners Waynesboro Downtown Development Inc., the Waynesboro Redevelopment and Housing Authority and the city.
Augusta Free Press LLC designed the website for the downtown project – www.RevitalizingDowntownWaynesboro.org.
“The Community Development Block Grant program has long provided funding for projects that raise the quality of life for thousands of Virginians each year,” McDonnell said in a statement on the grant awards today. “Through these grants, several Virginia localities will receive aid in addressing housing and infrastructure concerns. Many residents will see improved housing conditions, access to medical care, sanitary improvements, and more of our communities will see revitalization and the creation of jobs.”
Since 1982, the federally-funded CDBG program has been administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, and Virginia receives up to $21 million annually for this grant program. CDBG grants are awarded through a competitive process. Most projects benefit low- and moderate-income persons, and many projects are targeted for the prevention or elimination of slums and blighting conditions.
During this year’s competitive cycle, 30 proposals were submitted by 29 localities. Several projects are noted as either multi-year or letter-of-intent projects. Multi-year projects are those that will receive a contract allocating a portion of the funds this year and, after achieving specific performance targets, will then be eligible for additional funding. Letter-of-intent projects are those which will be awarded after the locality meets specific targets.
“Our goal is to create better communities in which to live, work and do business in Virginia,” said DHCD Director Bill Shelton. “Through CDBG funds we have the tools in place to address housing, economic development, health, safety and other unique needs of each community. We believe these projects will result in significant benefit to the citizens of Virginia.”
Vote for WDDI!
The Waynesboro McAlister’s has chosen Waynesboro Downtown Development Inc. as its nonprofit of choice for this year’s Tea Town USA Challenge.
That puts WDDI in the running for grants worth up to $7,500.
You can vote once a day and also earn points for Waynesboro by checking in with your smart phone.
AFP Business News
AFP is new WDDI Business Patron
Augusta Free Press LLC has signed on as a new Downtown Business Patron of Waynesboro Downtown Development Inc.
WDDI, founded in 2001, is an accredited member of the National Main Street Program and Virginia Main Street Program.
The organization follows the Main Street Four Point Approach towards revitalizing Downtown Waynesboro.
More information about WDDI is available online.
AFP sponsors Taste of the Town
Augusta Free Press LLC is a Table Sponsor at next week’s Taste of the Town event being put on by Waynesboro Downtown Development Inc.
The 12th annual Taste of the Town is set for Tuesday, March 22, from 5-8 p.m. at the Waynesboro Country Club. The event features 11 local professional chefs.
Tickets: $50 VIP, $35 Couple, $20 Single, $10 age 13-17. Tickets available at the WDDI office, 301 W. Main St. and from all participating chefs.
More information about Taste of the Town is available online.
AFP is major sponsor for Fly Fishing Festival
Augusta Free Press LLC is a major sponsor of this year’s Virginia Fly FIshing Festival in Waynesboro.
The 11th annual Festival is set for April 16-17 on the banks of the South River in Downtown Waynesboro.
The Virginia Fly Fishing Festival is the largest outdoor fly fishing event in the country that offers on-stream instruction. Only here can you learn all the latest techniques from the experts and then walk right over to the river and try them for yourself.
More information about the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival is available online.
Taste of the Town
The 12th annual Taste of the Town sponsored by Waynesboro Downtown Development Inc. is set for Tuesday, March 22, from 5-8 p.m. at the Waynesboro Country Club.
How do your cookies stack up?
Waynesboro Downtown Development Inc. and Christmas in River City will host a cookie baking contest as a part of the annual Christmas in River City celebration in Downtown Waynesboro.
There are two baking categories – Adolescent (ages 14 to 17) and Amateur (adults – no professionals). Bakers must provide a total of 39 cookies (all home made and all one type). Cookies are provided for the judges, display and guest samples. Entry fee into the contest is two non-perishable food items (for the Blue Ridge Food Pantry).
Entrants must create a “cookie display” using personal items and their cookies. They may include notes about the cookies (history of the recipe, etc) in their display.
Set-up time for the cookies will be on Thursday, Dec. 16, from 3-6 p.m. at the Shenandoah Valley Art Center. Displays must be complete by 6 p.m. Judging will occur the following morning (Dec. 17) at SVAC and will go on display that evening at 5 pm. They will remain on display until the event closes at 7:30 p.m.
For more information or an application, contact Kathy Johnson at 540.836.8164 or e-mail her at kj.bedford@gmail.com.
Applications may also be picked up at the WDDI office in Downtown Waynesboro, corner of Main and Arch.
Free business seminar, assessment will tell it like it is
Marc Wilson isn’t in the business of sugarcoating.
“I’m not related to you, and I’m not necessarily your friend. So when I leave, you’re going to get the truth, but you might not like hearing it,” said Wilson, a retail industry consultant at the Virginia Small Business Development Corp. and 35-year veteran of the retail business, who will be in Waynesboro on Thursday and Friday to lead a Holiday Retail Seminar in conjunction with Waynesboro Downtown Development Inc.
Wilson’s visit begins with a free seminar at 8:30 a.m. Thursday at City Hall in the City Council Chambers, “From bah-humbug to booming business, or Bah-To-Boom!” The seminar will cover all aspects of holiday retail sales, including sales approaches, merchandising, window dressing, cash-flow management and customer-traffic management.
Aimed at retail and restaurant establishments, the focus of the talk will be on helping small-business owners develop strategies for maximizing sales and profitability in the fourth quarter of the business year.
The rest of his time in Waynesboro on the two-day visit will be spent with individual owners doing 90-minute on-location evaluations that Wilson said is “literally a physical of their operations.”
“I’m another set of eyes and ears. I’ve been in the retail business for 40 years. I’ve seen an awful lot,” said Wilson, who preaches to small-business owners the value of differentiation.
“Are you the only, are you the best, do you have the best product selection, do you have the best price, do you have the best people, do you have the best shopping experience? It’s all about the diffentiation,” Wilson said.
RSVP for the confidential business assessment at wddidirector@ci.waynesboro.va.us.
Story by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
WDDI announces staff cut
Edited by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
Waynesboro Downtown Development Inc. has laid off its events coordinator after the board of directors of the business-improvement organization voted this week to eliminate the position due to funding issues. Continue reading “WDDI announces staff cut” »
Busy schedule for Third Fridays
Edited by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
The River City Radio Hour, Kid’s Avenue and the Wayne Theatre Alliance Children’s Hour mark a busy schedule of events for Third Fridays in Downtown Waynesboro. Continue reading “Busy schedule for Third Fridays” »
Radio Hour brings back favorites
Submitted Item
News tips: freepress2@ntelos.net
The River City Radio Hour March 19 performances feature the return of a number of audience favorites.
Heading the performances will be Sound Direction. The a cappella group first appeared on the Radio Hour in July 2009, and established itself as a real crowd pleaser. Continue reading “Radio Hour brings back favorites” »
