Three weeks ago all three of these downtowns had events the same Saturday. Several of us decided to go to all three to experience how downtowns work when focused on pedestrians. Montpelier held the first vintage camper trailer show ever in Vermont. State Street was blocked off from the courthouse to Main Street with trailers parked on both sides of the street. It was sensational – 30 to 40 amazing vintage trailers that were open by the owners for viewing. There must have been 5,000 people wandering all afternoon with each restaurant and shop open with outdoor sale offerings and people gathering, chatting and eating ice cream, sandwiches and sitting on outdoor cafe setups on both sidewalks. This was a testimony that pedestrian events are magnets.
Then we drove to the Burlington Waterfront to see the antique boat parade centered in front of the city boathouse and Waterfront Park. Again there were thousands of spectators, 75 amazing boats in the water and more on the shoreline for exhibits. It seemed like the entire city migrated to the waterfront on foot. Food, snacks, music and amazing boats announced by a local boater who knew all the boat owners and there was a very humorous banter going on for several hours. Then when the boats came to the docks the owners were there to tell the stories.
Next we drove to Stowe to see the street dance with the antique car parade in the center of Main Street. Again, the street was blocked off and on each side of the curb was parked an amazing sampling of the coolest antique cars. The street was blocked off from Green Mountain Tavern to the church. From 5 to 11 p.m., there was dancing and wandering to the tunes of WDEV disc jockeys. Incidentally over 1,000 feet of sidewalk was paved in red brick. (No concrete. Hmmmm). Five restaurants, ice cream shops – all stores open. And dancing with 5,000 people in the street. Amazing.
This points out something for The Valley. First, there is no center here that has a public presence like churches, arenas, open space and places for people to work, live and wander around on foot. We have the craft fair, the art shows, music events, but all are destinations with access only by car. Very suburban. The locations miss the advantage that I saw in Montpelier, Burlington and Stowe where a multitude of businesses are located in the center of the action and they support a pedestrian focus. Bridge Street can do it on a small-scale way but not at the size where all benefit. The best example here is the Waitsfield Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings where huge crowds park wherever they can and all the shops are open and benefit from the pedestrian activity.
So, here is a suggestion. (There is one huge roadblock to this idea.) Open the center of Waitsfield from the Bisbee’s lot to the Big Picture, complete the slow road, encourage individual ownership of commercial lots and encourage housing on second floors. Activate the Skatium arena for huge events, antique shows, flower shows, skating, music concerts, political rallies, conventions and so on. We could have our own car, boat and flea markets that would become magnets for the entire state. The Valley could purchase some wetlands outside of The Valley for a swap so the wetland issue is not an issue and the center can be opened up for soccer fields, flea markets and bandstands. Side road parking and more.
The roadblock (this assumes a rapid development of a town sewer system): The two shopping centers are owned in such a way that individual shop owners who lease do not have the liberty to improve or define their own image. In fact, in several cases the owners of the shopping centers have asked businesses for a percent of their gross in addition to their rent. Two are moving out rather than pony up.
Both shopping centers would be improved for the long-term economic health of The Valley if they were broken up and individual ownership set up to replace them. The best of Vermont villages and towns are traditionally owned in small lots. That is what gives them the variety and spice that interests visitors, designers and pedestrians.
Dave Sellers lives in Warren.
