Legacy Circle Members State that the Kennedy Museum matters

Top Opportunity Nominations are due by May 21, 2010.

Tipp City accepts a Best Promotion Award for "Windows on Tippecanoe"

Heritage Ohio is now accepting nominations for their 2010 Annual Preservation and Revitalization Awards.  Nine award categories celebrate the best in revitalization and preservation activities in Ohio.  The deadline in May 3, 2010 and the Awards Luncheon will take place at Heritage Ohio’s Annual Preservation and Revitalization Conference June 17, 2010 in Athens, Ohio. Click Here for awards nomination form.

A nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting beautification programs through the use of flowers, plants, and trees (in addition to other environmental & lifestyle enhancements) while also encouraging community involvement, AIB recently announced its February 28 registration deadline to participate in the 2010 community program.

Participating communities receive a two-day consultation with judges. The judges develop an extensive written evaluation providing feedback on the community’s successful efforts, and suggestions for further initiatives. To date, America in Bloom has assisted more than 170 communities in 38 states to bring out the best in their visual qualities. In some towns, the annual America in Bloom competition has become a way of life, as volunteers look forward to working together on visible improvements.

Contest Chairman Jack Clasen, PhD, summed it up best when he said, “I’m excited about the 2010 program because we have assembled the best team of experienced, professional judges in the history of the program.”

For more information about the program, or to register before the February 28 deadline, go to http://www.americainbloom.org/. Good luck to all of the participating communities, and may the greenest, most beautiful communities win!

Special Conference Note:
We’re also pleased to let you know that Rick Webb of Logan, Ohio will be presenting “America in Bloom: Planting Pride in your community” at the Heritage Ohio conference in Athens this June. Rick will share the process of becoming an America in Bloom community, touching on AIB’s impact in cities throughout the country & how the America in Bloom program and Heritage Ohio work together to enhance those cities. Stay tuned to our web site and blog for further conference updates!

St. Stanislaus Church

Lots to Lose: Worship Spaces as Community Assets

Description: With tourism becoming increasingly popular, communities that have something unique to exhibit, like a historic house museum, district, cemetery or battlefield, have a competitive edge with neighboring communities.  Local commerce through historic buildings keeps the community unique and supports the economic base of the community. Amongst these buildings, sit the historic churches that play a similar role in providing services to the community.  As catastrophe response professionals, we have worked with many churches whose sole purpose during the recovery was to continue servicing the community and alleviating their needs during the devastation rather than repairing their own building. While religious building’s lies within a community, a community also lies within the building.  Congregations create stability in the lives of its members. They are employers for members and create networking opportunities for others to locate work in the community. They also offer schooling and even some include day care services. If a church is lost from a community or has recovery efforts hampered following a disaster, what would the community lose? Feeding programs, education programs, places of gathering, and even employment. Historic sacred spaces offer a community a sense of place, community stability, and refuge in times of need.

Take a look at the opportunities Ohio cities have when dealing with a shrinking population, changes in demographics that favor higher density development and the evolving consumer driven demand for urban living

Understand the role of existing state tools/programs like the Clean Ohio Fund and Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit program maximizing the above mentioned opportunities.

Discussion tools that could further this overarching vision.

Description: The mid-twentieth century is defined by World War II, modern architecture, the baby boom, an expansion in suburban neighborhoods and the construction of the interstate highway system. In the midst of these changes the nation experienced civil unrest due to racial tensions and protests over the Vietnam War. Learn how these broad patterns of history and more defined architectural trends and building types to shape Ohio’s recent past. Barbara Powers, head of Inventory and Registration for the Ohio Historic Preservation Office will share information about their survey project in Dayton and several selected suburbs and the development of a statewide historic context document examining the historic patterns and architectural trends in Ohio from 1940-1970.

Public input is critical to the success of most programs and development projects but how do you do public participation that gives you constructive, useful feedback instead of just complaints? Join us for a hands-on exploration of nearly a dozen innovative and low-tech methods that will not only get you constructive feedback but will engage your participants and get them excited about the opportunities! Be prepared to get involved and have fun!

As an added bonus, a construction film about the tower was discovered a few years ago. The film was donated to Cleveland State and subsequently restored and uploaded for online viewing. The film captures a brief but fascinating showing of the construction process of a 1920s era skyscraper.

As one conference ends, so begins the planning for the next one, to take place in Athens. And I’m looking forward to another group of exciting opportunities to find out more about the historic offerings of the Athens area. We’d like to give a special thank you to Steve Coon for making this one-of-a-kind tour possible, and to Forest Park and its staff for graciously opening its doors and giving us a behind the scenes sneak peek into their enormous undertaking. (Click the pictures to learn more about the tour and the Terminal Tower.)