‘A Finer Spirit’ needs to continue

By Editor | June 8, 2011 |

We all know the old saying, “You don’t know what you’ve got 'till it’s gone.”
Such is the case with the Vandalia Main Street Program.
Also appropriate at this time would be the saying, “Look at all that we wouldn’t have had without it.”
Mayor Rick Gottman announced at Monday’s city council meeting that the local Main Street program would be dissolved at the end of this month.
It’s only when one considers all that the program has provided for our community since its formation in the 1990s that we can comprehend what the loss of Vandalia Main Street will mean to Vandalia.
It was Main Street that took a vacant lot on Gallatin Street and turned it into an attractive downtown park that has been used as a site for community events, as a resting spot for tourists studying the history in our downtown and even as a backdrop for a number of photo shoots.
The beauty and value of that park was greatly enhanced when Main Street became the organization that took on a project that was much-needed for the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln’s political career – a statue of Lincoln. That statue recognizes our role in the life of one of the most famous people in world history, and has become a valuable prop for photos taken by both local residents and tourists.
It was Main Street that took on a project to enhance the appearance of Vandalia’s downtown business district, working with owners of downtown buildings to put a new face on those buildings through its “Paint the Town” program.
It was Main Street that took another vacant lot downtown and transformed it into a needed parking lot.
And it was Main Street that provided a number of community events, with “Olde Tyme Christmas” probably being the most notable. Those events, which also have included Corn Days, have brought people to our downtown business district. That has helped to show what our merchants have to offer.
The Vandalia Main Street Program, like many other entities, has experienced the effects of a downturn in the local, state and national economy. The city’s decision to pull its funding for the organization as it has worked through budget-cutting measures has been a significant blow.
Main Street also has suffered from a decreasing volunteer base. Volunteers are, and always have been, the main strength of that organization. It has been the volunteers who raised financial support for the Lincoln statue, “Paint the Town” and other projects and programs. It has been the volunteers who have maintained Lincoln Park and who have painted a number of downtown storefronts, giving countless volunteer hours to Main Street, our downtown and our community.
When the program was introduced, the theme presented by Bill Donaldson, Bill LaDage, Jean Stombaugh and other organizers was “A Finer Spirit.” In a number of ways, the Vandalia Main Street has provided that to Vandalia.
Going forward, we must find a local organization – or a group of individuals – that is willing to step up and do the things Main Street has done. There are too many projects that remain unfinished. And Vandalia is not the kind of city to let them stay that way.