By Kasey Fowler, Staff Writer
Enid News and Eagle
ENID — Main Street Enid received a great honor, not only to be recognized in Oklahoma Today but also to be one of the cities that was named to host a launch reception to unveil the edition.
The launch was Wednesday at Enid Symphony Hall. The Oklahoma Today staff was on hand, along with some of the Oklahoma Main Street Center staff. Enid was one of the cities featured in the state magazine’s January edition.
“It is a great honor. We have a great relationship with them (Oklahoma Today). They did another big (article), it was in the late ’80s and we weren’t a part of (Main Street) until ’94,” said Lindy Chambers, director of Main Street Enid. “It is great because of the high visibility of the magazine. It wins awards not only on a state level but on a national level. It is like the publication we would like to be in.”
Chambers said one of the reasons Oklahoma Today decided to feature the state’s Main Street organization is the national conference for Main Streets is coming to Okla-homa.
“Oklahoma City is the site of the National Main Street Conference in May. It is a real honor for Oklahoma to get to host it. Previously it has been in places like Chicago,” said Chambers.
The conference will bring people to Enid in May for a day tour.
“Several of the cities, including Enid, will host tours for 2,000 to 3,000 people, if they so choose,” said Chambers. “We never know how many will sign up to come. They will stop at the conference center to start. They will tour some of our historic sites. We are still formulating it right now.”
Main Street Enid began in 1994. The first project Main Street Enid began with was restoration of Enid’s downtown area.
“The first big thing we plugged into the concept was restoring historic buildings. In the ’50s and ’60s downtowns had to modernize themselves to compete with malls. A lot of them added these aluminum facades,” said Chambers. “We have encouraged property owners to take those facades down. When you remove a facade sometimes there isn’t much to do because the building has been protected from the elements by the facade. But sometimes there are other things that have to be done like windows have to be replaced.”
Once Main Street Enid convinced a few downtown businesses to remove the facades, Chambers said there was a domino effect with other businesses.
Three big projects Main Street Enid helped come into existence in downtown Enid were Enid’s Symphony Hall, Leonardo’s Discovery Ware-house and David Allen Memorial Ballpark.
“We were involved in all three of those. They wouldn’t have come into existence without Main Street,” said Chambers. “Once there was a new interest in downtown, property owners were confident in investing downtown.”
Chambers said Main Street Enid worked closely with the Allens on the donation for the ballpark and the Garriotts for the donation for Leonardo’s.
Leonardo’s is a science and art museum that draws school-age children from across the state. Leonardo’s outdoor playground with water feature, Adventure Quest, also draws children when weather permits.
Enid’s Symphony Hall was built as a Masonic temple. The renovation of the building saved most of the original architecture and plasterwork.
David Allen Memorial Ballpark is a 3,000-seat baseball stadium where many baseball games, tournaments and other activities for the community are held.
Main Street Enid worked to bring people to the downtown after working to fix it up.
“We’ve come up with several events to bring people downtown. The first event we have had is Enid Light Up the Plains. Our other events are Jazz Stroll and Octoberfest and First Fridays. As a non-profit we are limited in what we can do,” said Chambers.
Main Street Enid also worked with the city of Enid to allow outdoor eating areas for downtown res-taurants. According to Chambers, before Main Street Enid worked with the city, it was against the law to put a chair on the sidewalk. Main Street Enid also has an awning grant al-lowing businesses to get awnings for their buildings.
“We are still plugging away. There is a lot more that we would like to see done,” said Chambers.
Main Street Enid won a national Main Street award in 2001.
“There is an award given away at the national conference. It is the Great American Main Street Award. We won it in 2001. Now when we go to conference our (organization) is held up as an example for others,” said Chambers. “Five cities a year get the award. All the Main Street programs across the nation work in four categories: organization, de-sign, economic restructuring and promotions.”
Main Street Enid is a volunteer-based organization and could not do all the work around Enid without its volunteers.
“Volunteers are the heart and soul of the program. We have all ages and backgrounds that help and volunteer. We have partnered with a group from Vance Air Force Base. We submitted them for a volunteer award and they won last year,” said Chambers. “Anyone who needs or wants to volunteer, there is always a place at Main Street Enid. I started as a volunteer. I was on the board. I was assistant director and then director. I love the job. It is never, ever boring and it is about making our downtown the best it can be.”
For Main Street Enid it is all about making and keeping Enid’s downtown the best it can be.
When you get to a town you don’t want to know where the Arby’s or the Chili’s is, you want to go downtown because that is the heart and soul of the communities,” said Chambers.
