Ronan Revitalization receives $50k grant
Taylor Davison
A grant of this size will allow Ronan to begin planning bigger projects on a broader scope.
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RONAN — During the Ronan Revitalization meeting on May 23, Montana Mainstreet Program representative Taylor Crowl presented the committee and City of Ronan with the option of receiving a $50,000 grant for a downtown master plan for Ronan.
A rare offer, only available when the program has extra budget funds, the opportunity would waive the match requirement for the town and let more major plans begin to build out. This shows the Mainstreet Program’s faith in the abilities and hard work put forth by the Ronan team. “We thought this would be a good way to catalyze all of your efforts,” Crowl said to the meeting’s attendees.
The offer was met with immediate enthusiasm. While it will mean a lot of work on the local level and a fast turnaround for an already busy group of people, the Ronan Revitalization group unanimously voted in favor of the offer, which included support from Mayor Chris Adler.
“This is an incredible opportunity,” one attendee stated as she voiced her approval. “What a way to start your main street.”
The committee will be given approximately three years to expend the funds, but Crowl stated the timeline could be flexible due to the limited availability of needed professionals and materials in today’s market. One of the first steps will be to get the help of a city planner, (a profession in high demand at this time), to develop a big picture plan.
In the meantime, the committee members showed eagerness to get started on smaller-scale projects they could tackle themselves. Crowl recommended their first endeavor be some sort of land project, which lines up well with the committee’s improved park undertaking already in the works for the coming year.
From there, the committee will begin compiling a planning document based on the project list they created during their April meeting. The list names everything from sidewalk and aesthetic improvements, to local events and possible business attractions for key vacant properties downtown. The committee will eventually get input from local businesses to learn more about their capacity for events. They will also get busy finding contractors and suppliers for upcoming undertakings. While the committee’s stated primary focus has always been community over commerce, bolstering existing activities and businesses will help achieve a balance between the two goals. They may soon explore the tourist side of commerce to better fund their primary goal.
Next month’s Ronan Revitalization meeting on June 20 will include representatives of the Montana Mainstreet Program doing a walkthrough of Ronan’s downtown and discussing potential improvements.
“It’s the most generous gift we could ask for,” President Whitney Liegakos said, expressing her gratitude for the grant. “I realize it’ll add to the marathon we see ahead of us, but we’ll do our best to run with the torch.”
