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COMMUNITY WORKPLAN Carbondale Heritage Communities Program 2011 Pennsylvania Route 6 Alliance CARBONDALE HERITAGE COMMUNITY WORKPLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER/Subsection Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii COMMUNITY WORKPLAN SUMMARY 1 BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT 3 Carbondale Heritage Communities Program 3 COMMUNITY INVENTORIES 4 Community and Area Overview 4 Location Map 5 Demographics 6 Economics 8 Historical and Architecturally Significant Buildings, Sites and Themes 15 Cultural History 21 Museums 24 Events and Activities 26 Regional Attractions and Resources 28 Local Recreation related Resources 34 Inventory and Survey of Businesses 38 Business Survey 40 Physical and Non-Physical Conditions 50 Transportation System 53 Community Visual Conditions and Design Analysis 61 SYNTHESIS OF INFORMATION 71 Public Input First Workshop – The Wish List 71 Second Workshop – Planning Charrette 74 Third Workshop – Draft Presentation and Comments 81 Issues and Opportunities Statement Overview 82 IMPLEMENTATION 85 Heritage Route 6 Economic Impacts 85 Tourism and Economics 86 Implementation Matrix 90 Summary of Recommendations 101 Interpretive Planning Statement 107 Marketing and Hospitality Planning Statement 111 Wayfinding Planning Statement 114 Heritage Resource Development/Physical Enhancement Planning Statement 119 i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This planning effort represents a relatively new approach to heritage planning being implemented by the Pennsylvania Route 6 Alliance. The concept was locally developed during early Route 6 heritage planning and refined with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) who insisted that the Heritage Communities Program be premised on the engagement of the community . In short, DCNR wanted this to be “grass roots” and not “top down” planning requiring the establishment of the Heritage Community Stakeholders Groups in each Heritage Community. This was envisioned to be a group of area residents who met throughout this process and even spearheaded several early action implementation actions. Members of the Carbondale Stakeholders Group represented a cross-section of the community and met on numerous occasions between February 2010 and February 2011, and also helped during this period in conducting Community Workshops and a Planning Charrette. In addition, many other residents participated in various public forums such as during the focus group meetings during the Planning Charrette and at the various Community Workshops. The coordination provided by the staff of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance was invaluable as the local liaison and point of contact on behalf of the Pennsylvania Route 6 Alliance planning team. Major project funding for the Heritage Communities Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation through the Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users, through the Heritage Areas Program under the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and a local contribution from Carbondale. Last but not least, a special thanks to the residents, business community and especially the City staff of Carbondale who not only embraced this program and participated, but more importantly showed a genuine love for their community, respect for its heritage and even came up with its characterization as “everybody’s home town”. ii CARBONDALE HERITAGE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM Pennsylvania Route 6 Heritage Corridor COMMUNITY WORKPLAN Background A Community WorkPlan is a requirement of the Pennsylvania Route 6 Heritage Communities Program. It is intended to establish an action-oriented framework for local heritage and community planning and implementation in Heritage Communities along Route 6. This is a WorkPlan for the Carbondale area that is focused on the City, Carbondale Township, Fell Township and the immediate surrounding region. While the document is important in itself the process gone through to prepare it is probably more important. In this regard local engagement is not only important but is required. The process involved the engagement and discussion with a local Stakeholders Group that was involved throughout the planning period. The document attempts to aggregate and synthesize the input and recommendations of this Group, also taking into account public input received at Community Workshops and a planning charrette. The document and process also involves original and secondary research gathered by the Route 6 planning team. The WorkPlan is organized as follows: BACKGROUND ACTIVITIES – DESCRIPTION Carbondale Heritage Communities Program Community Inventories - Themes and Sites, Heritage, Community Events, Businesses, Physical and Non-Physical Needs and Visual Conditions and Design Analysis SYNTHESIS OF INFORMATION Public Input review and Issues and Opportunities Statement Overview Issues and Opportunities Statement IMPLEMENTATION - Planning Statements and Implementation Strategy Overview The Pennsylvania Route 6 Heritage Communities Program recognizes that the action-oriented framework requires attention to both physical and non-physical needs that address the Visitor’s Experience and the Community Context. Each has an impact on the other, and the latter frames and directly affects the former. Thus the Community WorkPlan must enhance the Carbondale area as a destination and a stopover, without negatively affecting the quality of life and community characteristics that make it a great place to reside. In essence then, this entire process is an attempt to address tourism in a context-sensitive manner. In this regard, we recommend a number of enhancements: 1 Visitor Experience Enhancement – “things to see and do” Interactive interpretive enhancements – interconnected “smart kiosks” focused on major themes and corresponding local sites, and/or a centralized discovery center Local promotional effort – brochures, itineraries, apps and web-based efforts relaying a clear and focused message Several Loop Tours as a means of both bringing in regional resources and “slowing” people down Wayfinding Signage – at critical attractions and intersections Coordination with the local Museum and other visitor venues in the larger region Historic Route 6 signage Completion of trail segments Additional festival and event opportunities – for visitors The Community Context – addressing local needs Gateway Enhancements building on existing signage Continued downtown revitalization efforts focused on specialty retail, hospitality, arts and related – reuse, rehabilitation and in-fill Continuation and expansion of streetscape enhancements Relatively minor revisions to local regulatory framework Additional festival and event opportunities – for residents 2 BACKGROUND ACTIVITIES – DESCRIPTION The Heritage Communities Program is an initiative of the Pennsylvania Route 6 Heritage Corporation, focused on strengthening the many vibrant communities along the Route 6 Corridor in Pennsylvania. The Program was developed by local stakeholders involved in the development of the Pennsylvania Route 6: Our Heritage and a Destination for the Future – Framework for Action during 2001- 03. These stakeholders have developed the Pennsylvania Route 6 Heritage Communities Program that requires communities – their leaders, business community and residents – to buy into the heritage tourism concept and process. The program provides assistance to Route 6 communities in first identifying and localizing heritage tourism sites, resources and themes; then developing ways to enhance and refine these resources; and finally a way to sustain local heritage tourism. This assumes a very inclusive grass-roots process involving local residents, which will have an important side-benefit of making the community a better place in which to live as well as visit. The key to the Program is to identify and capitalize on the unique qualities of select communities on the Corridor that reflect the themes of Route 6. These themes are as follows: Warrior’s Road honoring the epic stories of the warriors of many races, genders and times fought or lived along the Corridor; The many Natural Opportunities utilized and enjoyed by hunters, fishermen, oilmen, tanners and miners of the region, and the changes in the view of natural resources; The rough terrain required Engineer’s Challenge to be met by spectacular feats of civil engineering that made Northern Pennsylvania and its resources more accessible; The region has provided New Beginnings and Safe Havens for a diverse group including Connecticut Yankees, French Aristocrats and escaping slaves; Visionaries, Achievers and Social Entrepreneurs of the region whose ideas and achievements inspired and transformed the region and the country; and The region’s recognized position as an Outdoor Enthusiast’s Paradise offering active and passive recreational opportunities year-round. The Program is premised on providing technical assistance to the communities in interpreting and localizing these themes. Carbondale Heritage Communities Program The unique qualities of the Pennsylvania US Route 6 Corridor are created and affected by the communities along its length. Descriptions of the Corridor often tout the unhurried, small-town ambiance that has not been traded for a “brand 3 name drive-through identity”. The Route 6 Community identity is authentic and individual and is not contrived. Route 6 heritage planning recognizes that this “community identity” must be maintained and strengthened if heritage tourism is to prosper along the Corridor.