COMMUNITY WORKPLAN Conneaut Lake Heritage Communities Program 2010 Pennsylvania Route 6 Alliance CONNEAUT LAKE HERITAGE COMMUNITY WORKPLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER/Subsection Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW 1 BACKGROUND ACTIVITIES – DESCRIPTION 3 Conneaut Lake Heritage Communities Program 4 COMMUNITY INVENTORIES 4 Location Map 5 Demographics 6 Economics 9 Historic/Architecturally Significant Buildings/Sites/Themes 16 Cultural History 20 Historic and Industrial Heritage Context 26 Museums 33 Other Potential Conneaut Lake Park Heritage Resources 35 Inventory of Community Events/Activities 38 Water Related Resources 41 Inventory and Survey of Businesses 45 Business Survey 49 Physical and Non-Physical Conditions 57 Transportation System 58 Community Visual Conditions and Design Analysis 63 SYNTHESIS OF INFORMATION 76 Public Input 76 First Workshop – The Wish List 77 Second Workshop – Planning Charrette 78 Third Workshop – Draft Presentation and Comments 83 Issues and Opportunities Statement Overview 85 IMPLEMENTATION 88 Heritage Route 6 Economic Impacts 88 Tourism and Economics 89 Implementation Matrix 93 Summary of Recommendations 105 Interpretive Planning Statement 111 Marketing and Hospitality Planning Statement 114 Wayfinding Planning Statement 116 Heritage Resource Development/Community Needs Planning Statement 117 Select Funding Sources 118 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 Conneaut Lake Stakeholders Group represented a cross-section of the community and met on numerous occasions between February 2009 and February 2010, 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. 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 Conneaut Lake. Last but not least, a special thanks to the residents and business communities of Conneaut Lake who not only embraced this program and participated, but more importantly showed a genuine love for the community. ii CONNEAUT LAKE 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. While the document is important in itself the process 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. This document attempts to aggregate and synthesize the input and recommendations of this Group, also taking into account public input received at three Community Workshops, including a three-day planning charrette held in the summer of 2009. 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 Crawford County 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 summary Issues and Opportunities Statement Overview 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 Conneaut Lake as a destination and a stopover, within the context of the larger Route 6 experience, without negatively affecting the quality of life and community characteristics that make it a great place reside. In essence then, this entire process is an attempt to address tourism in a context-sensitive manner. In this regard, the WorkPlan recommends a number of enhancements: 1 Visitor Experience Enhancement – “things to see and do” Improvements to Conneaut Lake Park and Hotel Local promotional effort – brochures, itineraries and web-based Development of a floating stage offering a movable entertainment venue as reflecting themes (i.e. lake and entertainment) that build on the area’s strength The “Double Lake Tour” concept as another unifying theme capitalizing on existing state and private resources Wayfinding Signage – at critical attractions and along the Double Lake Tour Curatorial and financial enhancements for the Conneaut Lake Area Historical Society Museum “Trail Town” enhancements Historic District designation consideration Coordination with local Museums and the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum Walking tours and tie-ins with regional system The Community Context – addressing local needs Streetscape enhancements within the business district and immediate surrounding area Gateway Enhancements at strategic locations An interrelated downtown and residential area revitalization effort o Façade and Streetscape o Building and site reuse Revisions – Land use related regulations Consistent Litter Indexing efforts Traffic safety and calming enhancements especially in the downtown area 2 BACKGROUND ACTIVITIES – DESCRIPTION The Heritage Communities Program is an initiative of the Pennsylvania Route 6 Alliance, 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. 3 The Program is premised on providing technical assistance to the communities in interpreting and localizing these themes. Conneaut Lake 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 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. A request on behalf of Conneaut Lake was a successful applicant to be the fourth round of the Pennsylvania Heritage Communities Program, following Smethport, Corry/Union City and