People invited to share visions at Main Street Montana meeting

Local businesses, organizations and residents are being asked to tell what their vision is for the future of Havre.

The City of Havre has partnered with the Havre Area Chamber of Commerce and Bear Paw Development Corp. in hosting a meeting Monday, July 8 at 2 p.m. at City Hall to start the development of Havre seen as a Montana Main Street Affiliate Community.

“This effort is about to formalize, in some ways, an effort that would bring Havre into the group of communities in Montana that are affiliated with the Main Street Montana Program.” Bear Paw Executive Director Paul Tuss said. “Once you are affiliated with Main Street Montana Program, it brings resources to the community both technical assistance as well as potential grant funding to help with projects that we, as community, identify as important.”

The Main Street Montana Program has existed since 2005 and 27 other communities across the state are part of this program between the Community Development Division and the Office of Tourism at the Montana Department of Commerce.

The Main Street Montana Project is intended to help communities strengthen and preserve their historic downtown commercial districts.

“Why not Havre?” Havre Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jody Olson said. “I think it would be a good program for Havre to take advantage of it.”

She added her vision is to get a board together of business and property owners in a downtown area to decide the actual area of a Main Street Montana for Havre and what they want to see.

Tuss said community input is crucial.

“From a 30,000-ft. view, it is important to look what makes a downtown tick, what makes a downtown vibrant, is an opportunity to look at your opportunities as well challenges and to try to find those resources that match, Tuss said.

The first step toward this goal is determining the interest in this idea from downtown business and property owners, following bringing together people who are interested contributors and the community as an overall whole.

A release signed by Havre Mayor Tim Solomon, Olson and Tuss said the goal of a Main Street Plan is to have the following outcome:

• Everyone working toward the same goal,

• Rekindling community pride and a positive image,

• Keeping downtown in top physical shape and

• A downtown with a balanced commercial mix for today’s consumer.

“We are trying to pull them together and let them have a voice of what they would like to see get done and to get some help to do it,” Olson said.

“I believe that Havre is certainly the type of community that, not only cherishes its history, but is also welcoming to newcomers in way that grows the economy and really makes this, not just a good place to do business, but a great place to live and raise a family,” Tuss said.

He said that spirit can come through in what people want from the Main Street Montana Program.

“If you could wave your magic wand and look into the future and Havre was good as good as it could be, what would that be?” Tuss said.

He added to say those are the questions people should not only be asking, but collectively as a community should be answering.