KILLINGLY —The town is exploring the creation of a cultural district and commission to oversee an area officials said will help celebrate the diversity and history of Killingly, while also revitalizing a largely unused portion of municipally-owned property.
The Economic Development Commission this month was presented with an overview of what it takes for the state Department of Economic and Community Development’s Office of the Arts to green-light such a district in downtown Danielson and the benefits of striving for such approval.
“A district like this allows us to bring forward the diverse backgrounds we have in this town – Polish, Italian, Latino, Asian – and celebrate it,” Town Manager Mary Calorio said. “We can hone in on that culture while at the same time creating an engaging space to draw people in.”
According to the state’s standards and criteria guidelines, a cultural district is a “specific area of a city or town identified by the municipality that has a number of cultural facilities, activities and/or assets – both for profit and non-profit.”
The area should be walkable, compact, easy to recognize and serve as an artistic and economic driver – like the town-owned parking lots fronting Danielson Superior Court, Furnace Street and the back sections of several Main Street businesses have the potential to be, Calorio said.
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The Town Council last year approved spending $39,000 in Economic Trust Fund money for a “conceptual re-design” of the spaces with an eye toward offering recommendations to nearby business owners on how they can better draw in foot-traffic through advertising, rear customer entries and façade upgrades.
Economic Development Director Jill St. Clair said that area – dubbed “Brickyard Plaza” in pre-conceptual drawings – is severely underused, especially on weekends when court is not in session.
St. Clair envisions transforming the area into a colorful, vibrant space complete with murals, tables, sculpted entryways and a checkerboard-colored deck, the sort of eye-catching additions that would serve as an inviting background to car shows, music offerings and other activities.
“People talk about quality of life, but quality of place is what I want to promote,” she said. “That’s the equalizer. And how do you create that? Through things like art, culture, libraries, community centers and a cultural district, the things that elevate the collective community.”
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For the town to formally create such a bounded district requires the establishment of an overseeing commission. The town has three options along that avenue: create a new board or commission in line with its town charter; assign an existing body – like the Economic Development Commission – to create a sub-commission for the job; or allow an existing commission to handle the work.
Calorio said there are challenges with each option. She said any active commission must include in its membership a representative of a cultural organization, like a historical society; at least one artist, local business representative and town official; and a “for-profit creative business” member, such as a gallery or theater owner.
“We don’t have that type of membership in place right now,” Calorio said. “And it can be difficult to create an entirely new commission as we have issues even filling the boards and commissions we have right now.”
But the formation of a cultural district and commission is worth the work, St. Claire said. She said such a designation opens the door to various state grants and serves as an “economic multiplier.”
“Tourists come to a cultural district and spend money,” she said. “But it also works to create an emotional connection between residents and to the community they live in. People are no longer strangers.”
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The Economic Development Commission is slated to continue its discussions on the issue next month. A formal district designation would require the approval of the Town Council.
Lynn LaBerge, archivist for the Killingly Historical and Genealogical Society, said creating a cultural district would likely ignite more interest in the town's rich history. She said the back lots being contemplated for a face-lift have already been the site of well-attended Second Saturday events, including food truck festivals.
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"There have been discussion of adding some paintings in that downtown area celebrating Killingly's mill history, things like gears and cogs," she said. "I'd hope people would go to an event in the district and stop by our historical center to learn a little more about our history."
John Penney can be reached at jpenney@norwichbulletin.com or at(860) 857-6965
