Exuberant members of nine communities, including Oxford, gathered Feb. 18 at the Crofoot Ballroom in downtown Pontiac to celebrate a national accomplishment and prove you’re never too old for a high school-style pep rally.
The event was designed to promote two things ? Main Street Oakland County’s (MSOC) 10th anniversary and the fact that Oxford and eight other Main Street communities are now nationally accredited by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
‘For our district, the downtown and the community, it’s a huge feather in our cap,? said Mark Young, chairman of the Oxford Downtown Development Authority. ‘It certifies and recognizes, nationally, that our DDA, based on the Main Street approach, is functioning fully and accurately.?
Holding up signs that read ‘Oxford Rocks!? and wearing the Wildcat colors of blue and gold, a delegation of about 26 government officials and employees, business owners and residents hooted, hollered and behaved like high-spirited teenagers during the pep rally.
‘It’s definitely something to take pride in,? said DDA board member Tony Lasher. ‘It’s something the whole community should be proud of.?
After two years of missing the mark, Oxford regained its national accreditation as a Main Street community by scoring a perfect 10 out of 10 during its annual year-end assessment performed by MSOC last month.
MSOC is an economic development program specifically targeted to provide technical assistance to traditional downtowns throughout the county.
‘The accreditation allows us to take advantage of a number of programs and financial resources, through the county, that enable us to do some (architectural) design for various businesses and host community events such as business seminars, which the community’s always invited to attend. It’s not strictly for business people,? Young said.
‘I think the accreditation is important because when businesses are looking at communities (to locate in), that’s one of the things they could evaluate,? Lasher said. ‘Obviously, drawing businesses to the downtown is very important. It allows us to at least be competitive in that area.?
But it wasn’t just DDA officials that were excited about the national accreditation. Oxford resident Jim Reis went to the rally to support his community.
‘I think it’s good to create enthusiasm for the downtown and recognize the communities that have been making an effort to revitalize the small downtown areas,? said Oxford resident Jim Reis, who attended the rally. ‘It gives recognition to Oxford as being an outstanding community to eat, to live, to visit, whatever you want to do. It just gets that word out on a national level.?
Founded in 1980, the National Trust’s Main Street Center’s Four Point Approach ? organization, design, promotion and economic restructuring ? has been successfully utilized in more than 2,000 downtowns in 40 states.
Oxford became an official Main Street community in 2004.
The downtown received national accreditation following evaluations in 2006 and 2007, but then failed to earn the necessary number of points to retain the title during the 2008 and 2009 assessment visits.
To local officials, regaining the national accreditation is a sign that once again Oxford’s back on top and good things are headed the community’s way.
‘The Main Street program has a proven success record and when you can follow their format, it’s validation for the committees, it’s validation for the board, it’s validation that we’re on the right track,? said Lasher, who gave much of the credit to DDA Chairman Mark Young and DDA Executive Director Madonna Van Fossen.
Young agreed. ‘We do feel Madonna’s been very effective in bringing these people together,? he said.
Young also wished express his gratitude to all the volunteers who keep the DDA going.
‘I would like to thank everyone who has volunteered their time with the DDA ? the board members, committee people, the Celebrate Oxford folks and everybody else that has helped us attain this goal,? he said. ‘It’s only through their hard work that we have been able to attain this and I just want to personally say thank you to each and every one of them.?
Oxford resident Jim Reis went to the rally to support his community.
‘I think it’s good to create enthusiasm for the downtown and recognize the communities that have been making an effort to revitalize the small downtown areas,? said Oxford resident Jim Reis, who attended the rally. ‘It gives recognition to Oxford as being an outstanding community to eat, to live, to visit, whatever you want to do. It just gets that word out on a national level.?
Founded in 1980, the National Trust’s Main Street Center’s Four Point Approach ? organization, design, promotion and economic restructuring ? has been successfully utilized in more than 2,000 downtowns in 40 states.
Oxford became an official Main Street community in 2004.
The downtown received national accreditation following evaluations in 2006 and 2007, but then failed to earn the necessary number of points to retain the title during the 2008 and 2009 assessment visits.
To local officials, regaining the national accreditation is a sign that once again Oxford’s back on top and good things are headed the community’s way.
‘The Main Street program has a proven success record and when you can follow their format, it’s validation for the committees, it’s validation for the board, it’s validation that we’re on the right track,? said Lasher, who gave much the credit to DDA Chairman Mark Young and DDA Executive Director Madonna Van Fossen.
Young agreed.
‘We do feel Madonna’s been very effective in bringing these people together,? he said.
Young also wished express his heartfelt gratitude to all the volunteers who keep the DDA going.
‘I would like to thank everyone who has volunteered their time with the DDA ? the board members, committee people, the Celebrate Oxford folks and everybody else that has helped us attain this goal,? he said. ‘It’s only through their hard work that we have been able to attain this and I just want to personally say thank you to each and every one of them.?