CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — With artwork dotting the exteriors of some Main Street businesses in Clarion, suggestions of a Clarion Renaissance have surfaced.(Photo of Bernie Vavrek on left.)
The artwork projects are actually the work of Clarion Area High School students for the Clarion Free Library, Faller’s Furniture, and Sixth and Main Market, but a group of area residents want a renaissance to help develop the downtown district and promote its strength and recruit new businesses to fill vacancies on Main Street.
“The concern grew out of the fact that just looking around on Main Street in Clarion there are at least six stores that are vacant,” said Bernie Verve, a member of the Clarion Renaissance Steering Committee.
“It seemed to us, at the same time, there was an awareness that there was no movement to, at least as far as we could see, to change this. Clarion Renaissance was the name we adopted to, among other things, bring new awareness about what’s going on and what’s not going on and hopefully make some positive change.”
Some good signs for the downtown in recent weeks include the reopening of the Captain Loomis Restaurant, opening of the new Yo-Licious Yogurt store, a new clothing store plans to open at the site of the former Paul Weaver Jewelers, and a reported barber shop in the space formerly occupied by the Olive Branch.
Clarion Renaissance is a local, non-profit organization that seeks to assist the community and provide coordination of efforts for existing business, organizations, and agencies. The steering committee, a small group of individuals representing various backgrounds, hope to involve the community at large and make positive changes to downtown Clarion.
Following some earlier steering committee meetings, the group will hold its first public meeting Thursday, April 24, at 7 p.m. in the Clarion Free Library Meeting Room on the ground floor.
“We’re going to be talking about the goals of the organization,” said Vavrek. “We will also be asking the community what is their vision of downtown Clarion. We also have five committees that we’ve identified and need volunteers.”
Future actions of the organization will also be discussed.
“We see this not as a singular enterprise of the 10 people committee, but also involving as many people as we can, including those agencies and organizations that already exist,” said Vavrek. “When we talk about the development of new business or the fact that there are empty storefronts, our concern is to also sustain the great businesses we have a Clarion. It’s not only to attract new enterprise; (it’s) also to sustain those businesses that have been here a long time and continue to be the backbone of the community.”
A survey was the first item of business for the steering committee and results will be reported at the April 24 meeting.
“There were approximately 200 people who responded to the survey,” said Vavrek, “We asked them who they were, why they came to Clarion, and what would be some things that interest them to improve reasons for them to come to Clarion.”
The average person answering the survey, according to Vavrek, was:
•Female, age 45 to 64, lives in Clarion County and uses the downtown on a daily basis. Most of the responders said the Internet was the best way they get their information.
• Work was the primary reason for visiting Clarion.
• Banking, food/restaurants, pharmacy, and shopping were the other reasons (in that order).
• Businesses should set an identifiable time period that they are open. Some responders said some stores are open on weekends, some are open on the evenings, but there is no consistency.
• A downtown grocery store was also requested.
“A grocery store is absent at the present time, and they would like one as a compliment to, or in addition to, the existing grocery stores,” said Vavrek, noting that the survey asked only about downtown itself.
“Price is a factor, and one person quite rightly said it is not a problem of downtown Clarion, but it is a problem of employment. The person who needs a job is not likely to do much shopping. Pricing would be a factor, and when people are talking about grocery stores, they are talking about competitively priced products.”
There are five possible committees, and volunteers will be encouraged to eventually integrate plans with the overall Clarion Renaissance.
Committees include:
• Information Communication and Liaison Committee would provide information to the radio station, newspapers, and other media outlets, and most importantly, provide information to spare groups and agencies and institutions that presently exist in Clarion. Cooperation is needed to work towards the same end.
• A Funding Committee would have an obvious role.
“Our organization currently has no source of funding other than what we connect together at the moment, so we hope a stream of funds is identified to provide seed money. We need to look at what are the sources of funding that might be available to this group and Clarion. We are also looking at developing our own 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that will allow Clarion Renaissance to apply for grants.”
• A Downtown Business Committee would work directly with the existing businesses.
“We need to conduct a survey of businesses to get a sense of the businesses at Clarion.”
• A Research and Development Committee would be responsible for working with existing businesses on a plan to attract other businesses.
• An Environmental Scan Committee would take a look at how a visitor perceives Clarion.
“Do they see it as a welcome, pleasant, artsy exciting place or someplace in between? This committee would take a look at the physical parts of Clarion and present recommendations.”
Vavrek also sees Clarion University with an important role in Clarion Renaissance.
“The University has a prime role in all of this,” said Vavrek. “Not only in terms of the new things the University is going to with its infrastructure, but also in terms of its sustainability and how it attracts and how it will continue to attract new students and families. When they come to Clarion, they can feel that this is a great place to migrate to as opposed to thinking they should look for someplace else because Clarion doesn’t seem to be the type of town that is conducive for businesses or other activities.”
