October 20, 2020 | Boyne City Main Street: 2020 Great American Main Street Award Semifinalist Spotlight |
A year-round economic driver for downtown, Boyne City’s Farmer’s Market has been going strong. Credit: Michigan Barefoot Memories Photography
On Oct. 30, we’ll announce the three winners of the 2020 Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA). In anticipation of the big reveal, we’re highlighting one GAMSA semifinalist per day on our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter from Oct. 20 -29. We’ll not only spotlight their impressive efforts from previous years, but we’ve also checked in with each community to hear about how their downtowns have been impacted by the pandemic, how their programs have responded, and advice they’d give to other Main Street communities.
Boyne City Main Street • Boyne City, MI
Year Founded: 2003 | Population: 3,740 | Square Blocks in Commercial District: 11
Located along Lake Charlevoix in Northern Michigan, Boyne City Main Street has harnessed the Main Street Approach to bring renewed vitality downtown. By activating its waterfront and boosting recreation opportunities, Boyne City has become a tourist destination. But it hasn’t forgotten about its residents. Several workforce housing initiatives are underway, and a newly constructed pavilion in the core of downtown hosts year-round community events and a farmer’s market. Since the Main Street program began in 2003, they’ve built up a strong volunteer base, logging 54,150 volunteer hours in a town of just 3,740!
The Main Street program has not only enhanced access to natural resources, but also improved the sense of place downtown, thanks to a streetscape redevelopment project, developing a boardwalk and marina, adding public art, and implementing a façade grant program. A strong roster of events, from outdoor music to food festivals has made Boyne City’s downtown thrive. Since the Main Street program got its start, the downtown has seen 91 net new businesses and has a vacancy rate of just 1 percent, down from 5 percent in 2003.
Keep reading to hear from Boyne City Main Street’s Executive Director Kelsie King-Duff, MSARP, about how the Main Street program has pivoted since the pandemic.
How has COVID-19 affected your district?
At the end of the day, COVID-19 has helped bring our community closer together (figuratively of course, because we still need to social distance!). COVID-19 is something that no one could have expected or prepared for. During the initial shut-down phase the district really went in to hunker-down mode. As an organization we wanted to connect with our businesses to make sure they would make it through. Now, 7 months into the pandemic we are working together as we adjust to the new normal. If we can find a positive amid a global pandemic, it is that we realized what people and places mean to us. What could be more important to the mission of a main street organization than that?
Describe one of the ways your program has responded to those effects.
Throughout the pandemic our organization has been able to provide business support like never before. It seems that often the most visible pieces of what we do relate to events, but we know that is only the tip of the iceberg, and this has been a time to really demonstrate that. Our Economic Vitality Committee has completed two rounds of check-in calls to downtown business owners, the first when the shut-down went into place and the second right after reopening. Now that things are getting a little more back to normal we can resume our face-to-face conversations. A big piece of the business support during this time was passing along funding opportunities, helping businesses get online, and connecting the businesses with resources to safely reopen.
What is one piece of advice you would give to Main Streets struggling to pivot in the time of COVID-19?
Main Street has taught us how to be tough. You can get through this. Things may not feel “normal,” but a new normal is okay. Keep up the good work!
Follow Boyne City Main Street on social media to keep up with their efforts:
Facebook: @BoyneCityMainStreet
Instagram: @BoyneCityMainStreet
Join us as we announce the GAMSA winners on Oct. 30 at 12pm EST during a special Main Street plenary at PastForward, the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s digital conference. The plenary is free to attend but registration is required! Tune in to the awards ceremony by registering for the session via Zoom or the PastForward site. We will also be streaming the ceremony via Facebook Live.