Members of Tennessee Downtowns Program Steering Committee attended Monday night’s city council meeting to show a small 3-D model design for the new open-air stage to be built in Evins Park in Downtown Smithville this fall. The park is located behind city hall. “The stage will be a welcome and beautiful addition to the county allowing for outdoor concerts, performances, and other community events for the public to enjoy and use,” says Tennessee Downtown Committee chair Steve White.
“This is just one facet of our many plans for the downtown revitalization efforts,” says Chamber Director & TN Downtowns Steering Committee Member Suzanne Williams. “We are excited to partner with the Evins Foundation on this initial project and believe this to be one of the many successes coming out of the committee’s hard work, vision, and planning.”
The committee has received $8,500 in grant funding along with a $1,000 donation from the Smithville Rotary Club to build the stage. Construction is expected to begin within the next six weeks using skilled and unskilled volunteer labor.
The open-air stage is part of an effort by the committee to help revitalize downtown, Smithville.
In December, 2010, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development announced that Smithville was among 12 communities selected to participate in Tennessee Downtowns, a competitive community improvement program for cities and counties seeking to revitalize traditional commercial districts. Smithville was among several Tennessee communities with central business districts at least 50 years old which were eligible to apply for a downtown revitalization package. Mini-grants were also made available to local downtown business owners who wanted to join in the effort.
A total of sixteen Smithville building owners have been awarded $500 in mini-grants by the committee for investing a minimum of $1,000 in exterior improvements to their buildings.
TN Downtown Programs Mini-Grant Recipients
Keith W. Blair, 406 W. Public Sq.
Frank Buck, 125 W. Walnut St.
Attorney Gayla Hendrix, 301 N. Public Sq.
Phillip & Marilyn Cantrell, (Cantrell’s Clothing Store), 115 & 117 W. Main St.
Fluty’s Shoes, 120 W. Main St.
Henrietta Hale, 109 W. Main St.
Attorney J. Hilton Conger, 208 E. Public Sq.
Richard H. Williams, 105 N. 4th St.
Thomas Janney, 115 W. Market St.
Attorney Vester Parsley, 111 W. Main St.
Gail Webb, 400 Public Sq.
Pam Redmon (The Flower Box), 114 W. Walnut St.
Alan Webb, Main St. (between former Smithville Dress Shop & Fabric Store)
Attorney Jeremy Trapp,
Annette Greek, 103 W. Main St. (former Playground Kids)
Paul Violet, 102 W. Main St.
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