Hobart Run Presents at Business Development Meeting
The November Business Development Committee meeting featured a presentation by Twila Fisher and Cathy Skitko, Director of Community & Economic Development, and Senior Director of Institutional Public Relations respectively for both the Hill School and Hobart’s Run. Hobart’s Run is a non-profit community engagement organization striving to make the neighborhood around Pottstown’s Hill School campus “clean, green, safe and inclusive”. And to promote business investment in the borough.
Hobart’s Run created a neighborhood district and among other things organized Block Captains and neighborhood cleanups, created an adopt a trashcan program, raised money for the installation of neighborhood security cameras, partnered with Pottstown Community Action
on neighborhood improvement initiatives and lots more. See our post Business Development in Collegeville: Lessons from Hobart’s Run.
Borough Council Recognizes Outgoing Members
Incoming council members will take their place at the Council reorganization meeting on January 6, 2020. But at the December 4 meeting, Council President Marion McKinney presented outgoing members Terrie Stagliano, Louise Tulio and Hugh Braun with a plaque of appreciation for their years of service. Terrie, Louise and Hugh have served for 20, 16 and 8 years respectively. Each spoke of the joy they received in doing the work of administering the Borough and listed a few of their favorite projects including helping the Collegeville Fire Company replace their fire house.
Terrie said that all throughout her tenure, she always felt she was a volunteer rather than an elected official. Each then offered advice to the incoming Council Members who were in attendance. Thank you all for your service.
Turkey Trot’s No Turkey
Collegeville Mayor and Collegeville Rotary Club member Aidsand Wright-Riggins reported that more than 200 runners and walkers participated in the Club’s annual Turkey Trot this year: up from 42 the year before. The annual run / walk fundraising event through Collegeville Borough streets supports the Rotary’s commitment to help to solve the hunger problem in our community in partnership with the Daily Bread Community Food Pantry.
The Turkey Trot picks up where the discontinued Jingle Jog left off as the Borough’s cold weather run / walk event around the Thanksgiving holiday. The Collegeville Rotary Club looks for your continued participation and support in the years to come.
Borough Association Event at the Commons
This year’s Montgomery County Association of Boroughs dinner will be hosted by the Borough of Collegeville. The dinner will be held on February 27th, 2020. Ursinus College is donating event space in the new Campus Commons. Any committee representative is welcome to attend. Contact Borough Hall at 610-489-9208.
Ursinus Receives Main Street Grant
The third time’s the charm for an Ursinus College grant team. After two rejections Ursinus received a $670,000 Pennsylvania Multi-Modal Grant award. The award is for sidewalk improvements along Main street between the about-to-be-opened Commons Building though 9th Ave. as well as from 5th Ave. through 8th Ave. on the opposite side, and a small section on 6th Ave. Preparing the grant was a collaborative team led by the College and included alignment and guidance from Collegeville Borough Manager Geoff Thompson and Barth Consulting Group. Collegeville Borough Engineer Gilmore & Associates also assisted.
Meanwhile the Business Development Committee has formed a grant writing subcommittee. Committee members will liaise with the experienced team above to search for more grants relative to Collegeville’s revitalization work.
Bus Lightyears Away?
Maybe not. Ursinus College and Barth Consulting are working with SEPTA to explore connecting SEPTA bus lines 99 (Phoenixville to Norristown) and 93 (Pottstown to Norristown). And to create a two mile extension from Providence Town Center to Main Street. They are also exploring the creation of a local shuttle bus. The exploration requires narrowing a broad selection of possible stops in the Collegeville region.
Comprehensive Planning Kicks Off
The Montgomery County Planning Commission submitted a consulting contract to Collegeville Borough. The contract begins in 2020. We’re back in the game people!
Parking Fine
Barth Consulting Group, along with Business Development Committee members, completed a survey of all properties in the 400 block of Main Street. Barth created surveys to accurately secure sublease parking agreements, and created a draft parking overview rendering to illustrate solutions.
Santa and Collegeville Fire Company Present Drop Off
The Collegeville Fire Company will be escorting Santa through Collegeville Borough on a fire truck on Christmas Eve. Santa will be stopping at local residences to spread some Christmas cheer to good boys and girls. You’ll have to drop off your child’s present ahead of time. See the Collegeville Fire Company website for information on the event.
Trappe Business News
The owner of Piccolo Boutique is buying their building: Connie and Bob Peck’s commercial building across from the Trappe Borough Hall.
Restaurant Update
One opens. One opens soon.
- Pho Mai Vietnamese Restaurant opened in the Collegeville Shopping Center on December 19, 2019.
- Troubles End Brewing’s renovation work continues. The brewing tanks have been delivered, and skylights have been installed in Collegeville Station. Projected opening date is now sometime in early 2020.
Created in January 2018, the Borough of Collegeville Business Development Committee oversees economic development and business recruitment in the borough. It is made up of volunteers from the borough and administered by a Borough Council member.
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