It was a wow moment as Mayor Croyle and I took a walking
tour of Winchester’s downtown square. I was recently in the city to receive a
community and economic update on the progress being made. In 2011, the City of
Winchester received a $500,000 community focus fund (CFF) grant from the Office
of Community and Rural Affairs, an agency which I oversee.
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| Lt. Governor Skillman tours downtown Winchester after several building facades were updated |
The project included facade reconstruction of nine downtown
buildings, new sidewalks and streetscapes. These upgrades have caused an influx
in the number of businesses in the downtown square. The Towne Square Deli is
one of the new businesses to fill in a vacant storefront. This trendy little
eatery was full of local residents enjoying lunch. The deli is even connected
to a three screen movie theatre, which I’m told is packed on Friday and
Saturday nights. We even stopped in on a local jewelry store, where the owners
were remodeling their business. This growth in business has given a boost to
the local economy. It has also restored a sense of pride among local officials
and residents.
The initiative by local leaders to upgrade their downtown
district is paying huge dividends for their rural community. It’s important to
help small businesses start, maintain and grow. It’s also important for local
residents to support these family owned businesses. I applaud Mayor Croyle and
local leaders for making the case for these CFF grant dollars. I look forward
to seeing more business development in Winchester.
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