In a poll taken at the end of a Connecticut Main Street Center program Wednesday night, Norfolk residents expressed guarded optimism about the possibility of animating the town’s village center.
Connecticut Main Street Center (CMSC) provides education, training, resources and technical assistance to communities seeking to rejuvenate their local economies. In this region, it is partnering with the Northwest Hills Council of Governments.
The program explored residents’ perception of what a Main Street means for a town, the problems they see with the town center and the potential for growth.
Most of those attending the meeting described a Main Street as a locus not just for business, but also as a place for community events, a place “to stroll, relax, eat and drink.”
Those attending referred repeatedly to geographic obstacles the town faces in developing its center: a state highway that cuts it in half and the lack of space in the center for business development.
A woman referred to the “walkability” of the downtown area. “We should call it uptown, because everything is up,” she quipped.
Still another person commented on the limiting size of the commercial district, with little opportunity to build new or renovate existing structures for commercial use.
Participants described the village center as “so unwalkable,” “boring, always closed,” “lacking in critical mass,” “non-existent” and “charming but not functioning.”
The conversation grew cheerier when the planners asked about social events. The list grew longer and longer as the respondents listed Infinity Hall concerts, the Yale Chamber Music Series, Weekend in Norfolk events, Friday Nights on the Green, art shows and more.
Session leader Kristin Lopez said that key to building a vibrant downtown lies in the energy and determination of the people. “Great downtowns don’t happen organically,” she said. “There is always a group of people behind the initiatives. You can write your own future, but without a plan, it will remain status quo. If you can move the needle one degree, 50 years down the road things will have changed.”
When asked if there is sufficient community interest and political will to undertake a long-term effort, one respondent said yes; seven voted maybe, and one said no, there are too many significant barriers to growth.
The Connecticut Main Street representatives said they could schedule subsequent workshops, the next one on the topic of “Main Street Momentum.”