ADI ON THE MOVE IS S UE 1 V O L UM E 1 S PRI NG 2 0 0 8

DOWNTOWN “FACELIFTS”
COMMUNITY CALENDAR ....... .1

ADI, YOU’VE COME A LONG WAY

W HAT’S UP WITH US
BOROUGH NEWS
DID YOU KNOW
FROM THE CHAMBER........... 2

BE PROUD...ASHLAND IS A MAIN
STREET COMMUNITY!

PLEASE REMEMBER TO
SUPPORT OUR BUSINESSES AND
LOCAL!

ASHLAND DOW NTOW N, INC.

BUY
Around
OUR MISSION
Ashland Downtown, Inc. seeks a vibrant, attractive downtown by
preserving its architectural charm, promoting economic vitality and
marketing its historic and cultural resources.
ADI on the move
We are pleased to introduce Around Ashland, the
inaugural issue of the quarterly newsletter of Ash-
land Downtown, Inc. (ADI). It is our hope that
ADI, through issues of Around Ashland, will keep
you up to date on our exciting revitalization projects
and programs. These will contribute to achieving
our goal of revitalizing Ashland’s downtown to
become a hub of activity and the “heart” of our
community once again. Beginning in early 2004,
ADI became involved in a program to strengthen
functioning community partnerships, particularly
with the Ashland Borough Council, community
organizations, and businesses. Working together,
our goal is to develop and implement a downtown
revitalization volunteer driven effort which would Manager and to work with the ADI volunteers who
foster economic growth and improve the quality of
life for residents.
The ADI program is modeled after “The Main Street
Approach to Downtown Revitalization,” a compre-
hensive community-based plan developed by the
National Trust for Historic Preservation, which has
four key components:
DESIGN means getting Main Street in top physical
shape;
PROMOTIONS means selling the image and
promise of Main Street to all prospects;
Ashland
S UPPORT
ASHLAND
Community Calendar
April 1
Ashland Teeners
ORGANIZATION means getting everyone working Fundraiser (Daily Lottery number tickets)
towards common goals; April 4
St . Catherine’s Medical Center
ECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING means finding Uniform Sale
April 5
new or better purposes for Main Street enterprises.
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
These four components will be explained in greater Ham & Scalloped Potatoes Dinner
April 6-April 25
detail in future issues of Around Ashland. Ashland Area Girls Softball Assoc.
Fundraiser (Zap-A-Snack/Pizza Sale)
In closing, ADI would like to wish Steve Ulceski the
April 13
very best as he leaves us to further his professional
Zion’s Reformed Church-Penny Auction
career. We would also like to extend a warm welcome April 17
to Tom Joyce, Ashland’s new Borough Manager. We Upper Schuylkill-“A Taste of Upper Schuylkill”
April 19
all look forward to working with you, Tom. Ashland Rotary-SKIP Spring clean up
It is a privilege to serve as Ashland’s first Main Street April 26
North Schuylkill Youth Soccer Assoc.
Tina Tournament/Family Fun Day
have given their time and energy in furthering the ADI Proceeds benefit local family
mission. If Around Ashland excites interest in how the May 1
Ashland Little League
reader might assist ADI in its endeavors, it would be
Fundraiser (Daily Lottery Calendar)
great to hear from you. If you have any questions or May 3
observations, please contact me at 875-3571, or visit Ashland Area Girls Softball Assoc.
Opening Day Parade
the ADI office at 733 Centre Street. Log onto
May 3
www.upperschuylkill.com where you’ll find interest- Ashland Rotary
ing information about Ashland. Dick Canfield Pet Walk for Literacy
May 3
We look forward to hearing from you, Methodist Presbyterian Women’s Society
Basket Bingo
Gregory W. Fisher May 3
Ashland Main Street Manager Ashland Chamber of Commerce
Community Wide Yard Sale
May 3-July 31
Ashland Area Girls Softball Assoc. Fundraiser

DOWNTOWN FACELIFTS (Lottery Tickets)

May 7-9
Order of the Eastern Star, Peanut Butter Cup
Thanks to ADI’s annual budget which provides match- Sale
ing funds for property owners for façade improvements, May 11
each of our projects to date are sticking out like a DARE
“Elementary Mothers Day Program”
healed thumb. As business and property owners wit- May 14
ness the transformation thru improvements such as The Zion’s Reformed U.C.C, Roast Beef Dinner
News-Item pictured at left, The Donut Shop, China III, May 18
McCabe property, Heart ‘N Home and Eye-Sense, our Ashland Downtown, Inc., Vera Bradley Bingo
May 31
design committee has been receiving many inquiries Ashland Downtown Tidy Towns Crew
from interested candidates hoping for the same result to Clean-up
their properties. June 2-6
Borough Clean Up
June 15
Zion’s Reformed U.C.C, Bake-less Bake Sale
For those interested, the process is simple and painless. June 27 & 28
Contact the ADI office at 875-3571 to obtain an appli- The Catholic Churches of Ashland
cation, program guidelines, and some instruction from Summer Festival
PAST PRESENT Weekly events
Greg or log onto www.upperschuylkill.com and click St. Joseph’s Hall, Bingo Every Friday night
on Design Challenge Grant Program. Our creative design committee will review your application, study your Yearly Lottery Calendars
building, create a rendering, and then meet with you to review your options. As agreement is reached, the next Washington Fire Co. No. 1
January 1 through December 31
step is to begin the restoration project. Sounds easy? It really is! However, the design committee wishes to
leave potential applicants with this important thought before you move ahead. Will the restoration “impact” my Join the Downtown Team!
buildings appearance as well as enhance the historical charm of Ashland Downtown? If the answer is yes, ADI Monthly Meetings
come see us NOW! If you are not sure, we can help you with design ideas and much more. Until then, keep 1st Monday—Design
2nd Monday—-Economic Restructuring
looking for the next façade improvement project coming to a downtown property near you. Ashland is truly 3rd Monday—Board of Directors/Organization
back on the move and in the right direction. 4th Monday—Promotions

Borough Council Meeting

2nd Wednesday of Month
 ADI, you’ve come a
long way! W HAT ’ S UP
A Main Street program is an opportunity for everyone of
WITH US
all ages to become involved in their community. Planning Upper
special projects and making positive change is exciting Schuylkill
and worth everyone’s time and effort.

Four short years ago, the Upper
Schuylkill Regional Main Street
program began and brought Six
Great Towns together while develop-
ing local downtown organizations in
each community. With that news,
the Ashland folks gathered quickly
with enthusiasm, energy, and great
ideas. Before we knew it, a board of
directors and four committees using
the Main Street approach were up
and running and on the way to incor-
poration and a 501c3, non-profit
status. Special projects were under-
taken to include downtown clean ups,
the Ashland AppleFest, Old Fash-
ioned Christmas, Homecoming,
Hoffman Boulevard Landscaping,
Farmers Market, planters and planter initial goal of $175,000 and has
sales, street banners, litter receptacles, recently reached $215,000. In The answer is “a lot”!
and much more! In other words, October, 2006, Ashland was one
volunteers welcomed of twenty communities Six Boroughs...Six Downtown Organiza-
the opportunity and
“The end result of working
designated as an offi- tions...24 Committees...31 Steering Com-
ran with it! Officials hard and working together will be a cial PA Main Street mittee Members...Projects and more pro-
at Community Banks, safe, clean and green Ashland and Community. With this jects to improve our Six Great Towns…
now Susquehanna a great place to call home” title comes many re- And WE LOVE IT!
Bank of PA, were so impressed with sponsibilities and op- Could not ask for a better time to come out
the concept they offered their beauti- portunities for Ashland over the and join in as a volunteer!
ful second story office and meeting next several years with the help
These are exciting times for Upper Schuyl-
room as a place to call “home.” M&T and support from the Borough,
kill, folks! Our program is evolving like it
jumped right in and provided office additional volunteers and partici-
should and on schedule. Operational and
furniture while the ADI volunteers pation by the business commu-
special project funding until 2012 has been
painted and freshened up their new nity. Facade improvements to
secured thanks to Senator Jim Rhoades and
treasure. enhance an already beautiful ar-
the PA Department of Community and
chitectural charm, new sidewalks
While new projects and programs Economic Development. Additional fund-
and landscaping, and new busi-
were implemented, ADI volunteers ing partners are ARDCO (Area Revitaliza-
nesses improving Ashland’s tax
stayed focused on becoming a PA tion and Development Corporation),
base are on the rise.
designated Main Street Community, County of Schuylkill, Schuylkill River
knowing the program was highly The end result of working hard Heritage, PPL Utilities, and our six Upper
competitive. With determination and and working together will be a Schuylkill municipalities. Special project
hard work, the Campaign for Ashland safe, clean, and green Ashland funds through Representatives Goodman
began and has now grown beyond the and a great place to call home. and Argall have been extremely helpful
and appreciated, as well.

BOROUGH NEWS Our new Design Challenge Grant Program

is making a huge impact. Tidy Mary and
Working in partnership, the Borough of Ashland and ADI have been involved in her Tidy Towns Crew will be out there
the development of a Streetscape project in the downtown area, designed to create a soon using our new equipment to clean
safer and more attractive environment for pedestrians and motorists. To date, fund- your downtown, so please help them out
ing, in the amount of $122,951, has been secured from PennDOT Hometown when you can. We’ll be seeing a great
Streets Program, with an additional $99,560 from US Department of Agriculture. reinvestment to the physical environment
Construction will begin in April to upgrade the Four Corner area at 3rd and Centre in our downtowns through streetscape
Streets, with additional work being designed to replace sidewalks to 4th and Centre projects and property improvements this
Don’t miss visiting Pioneer Street. Funding for design and engineering has been secured through Upper spring. We look forward to an approved
Tunnel and the Anthracite Schuylkill. These Streetscape improvements will include curb and sidewalk re- grant application in the amount of $1M for
Museum of Mining this summer placements, as well as the planting of trees in select areas. even more improvements to the region
Log onto next year, and new business and job crea-
www.pioneertunnel.com In addition, the Borough and ADI have been working to upgrade and enforce tion in downtown is on the rise.
for this year’s schedule. ordinances to assure consistency throughout Ashland in seeking to promote eco-
nomic vitality and marketing of the town’s historical and cultural resources. Upper Schuylkill Homecoming Weekend
plans are almost final, so get ready for
another great Labor Day Weekend in
Did you know? Ashland Area Historic
and Preservation Society From the 2008!
Find out more about US at the Taste of
A toll road, called the Centre Turn-
pike, wound its way through the area
Estates in honor of Henry Clay’s
home near Lexington Kentucky.
Chamber Upper Schuylkill in Frackville on

where Ashland is situated. It was a Clay was a strong advocate of high April 17th.
The Ashland Chamber of Commerce is
direct route from Reading to Sunbury. tariffs on imports. When the tariff hoping to replace the existing Christ- www.upperschuylkill.com
went into effect, it halted the flow of mas lights and are exploring style and
The first interest in this area was the So, what does downtown revitalization
imported coal—mostly from Wales. pricing. Fundraising efforts and com-
virgin forest for timber. With the mean to those living in neighborhoods
Should the local landowners strike munity involvement will be a key fac-
discovery of coal in the region, and its outside of downtown?
the mineral in this area they stood to tor. Special fundraising with funds
growing importance as a fuel, there • home and rent values increase;
profit greatly, through Clay’s efforts. earmarked for this project is being
was a new attraction. A frequent
Samuel Grant later bought Burd planned. • better shopping and benefits of shop-
traveler on the Centre Turnpike was a
Pottsville resident, Burd S. Patterson. Patterson’s interest in the tract. ping local;
As he gazed up the sloping ravine John Brock handled most of the land Plans are also underway for the 2nd • a sense of pride;
running westward from the Mahanoy deals. A stone house called the annual “Ashland Area Community
Wide Yard Sale” on May 3. This is a • social and cultural activities;
Creek, he envisioned a prosperous Brock cottage stood at Seventeenth
town. He was criticized for even and Centre Streets until 1911. It was community wide event with tables set • opportunity to keep young people in
up at Higher Ups Park as well as yard town;
mentioning the idea of a town in such taken down to construct the W.C.
a forsaken place and it was referred to Estler School. In 1864, Brock died sales throughout the borough. Yard • tax dollars stay in the community;
as “Patterson’s folly”. He persuaded in London, England, but his heirs Sale Maps will be printed and those • more and more tourism;
John Penn Brock and James A. Hart, took over his affairs until the Ash- who would like to participate must
purchase a spot on the map. Refresh- • reduced vandalism and crime;
of Philadelphia, to go into partner- land Estates was sold to the Phila-
ship with him. The original purchase delphia and Reading, Coal and Iron ments will be available. Help us make • and an improved quality of life for all
of 800 acres of land was made in Company in 1870. this event a huge success and get your PLUS a positive perception of
1845, and was named Ashland yard sale items ready by May 3rd!
YOUR TOWN!
OUR VISION
Ashland shall promote its architecture to both residential and commercial
opportunities. Ashland will also enhance and market its historical and
cultural resources for tourism. Located at the intersection of routes 54
and 61, Ashland will serve as a western gateway into the region. Ashland
shall build upon its potential for tourism by connecting local historical and
cultural sites through a coordinated transportation and consistent “way
Ashland Downtown, Inc.
finding” system within the region. Ashland shall become the arts and
733 Centre Street, Ashland, PA 17921 heritage hub of the Upper Schuylkill region.
570-875-3571
www.upperschuylkill.com
Help us achieve our Vision for Ashland...become an ADI volunteer!