A downtown art exhibit, custom building placards, and new signs pointing travelers toward the downtown are among the ideas being considered by the Morristown Alliance for Culture and Commerce to improve vibrancy in the village.
At an alliance meeting Monday, some members were concerned that the new Morrisville Bypass could draw business away from downtown.
Signs along the new route refer to it as Route 100, while a stretch of the original Route 100 — between the bypass and downtown — is now called Historic Route 100.
That’s confusing, especially for tourists who visit the area infrequently, said Matt Nadeau. He and his wife, Renee, own Rock Art Brewery, which faces what is now Historic Route 100.
Many visitors have missed the turn to downtown because of poor directional signs and the new road name, he said.
“We’re getting a lot of phone calls from people who have ended up at Dunkin’ Donuts and ask us, ‘What happened to Morrisville?’” Nadeau said.
He’s started a petition to rename the bypass the “Alternate Truck Route” and to change Historic Route 100 back to Route 100.
He needs to collect about 300 signatures to have the article on the Town Meeting Day ballot.
If Morristown voters voted for the changes, they would still need approval from the Vermont Agency of Transportation.
Town officials are working with the agency to look at options for the road name and to improve directional signs, said Tricia Follert, Morristown’s community coordinator.
Morristown is known for the green and gold worn by Peoples Academy athletes and the green and gold paint seen on many downtown buildings.
The Morristown Alliance for Culture and Commerce will sell green oval building placards with gold lettering as a fundraiser.
The idea is to have property owners buy a placard with their building number and street name and hang them to create a sense of continuity along nine village streets.
They would sell for about $75 each and any money raised would benefit the alliance.
“I see it as an ongoing project over several years,” Follert said. “I think it would be absolutely beautiful to place markers throughout town.”
MACC is wrapping up its More to Win shop-local campaign.
More to Win entry forms are available at more than 20 businesses throughout town. Shoppers receive a stamp each time they make a purchase. Once their form has five stamps, they can drop it off at a designated location for a chance to win donated prizes.
Up to a dozen prizes have been awarded weekly for the past three weeks and the final winners will be selected this week.
Participating business paid $50 to be included on the entry form.
“They love the cooperative advertising,” Follert said.
The alliance is working to bring student artwork out of the classrooms and into downtown buildings. The group would like to begin a “walking art show” this spring.
Downtown businesses would agree to display student artwork in their windows over a two-week period. At the same time, local artists could be invited to display their artwork at different venues.
It would encourage people to walk around the downtown while getting children involved with their community, Follert said.
“It might be nice to bring in some local artists to work with the students,” said MACC President Caleb Magoon. “It would give them a little bit of publicity instead of just giving kids a venue.”
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