2019 Townie Award Winners
The Townie Awards are a festive and venerable tradition designed to recognize the commonwealth’s core communities and individuals for creation and implementation of projects, programs and events that exemplify the goals of PDC’s community revitalization mission. Eligible communities consist of Pennsylvania Downtown Center’s nearly 200 member organizations, including Main Street and Elm Street programs, making the Townies a competitive award process each year.
Pennsylvania Downtown Center’s executive director, Bill Fontana, said “Each year we look forward to the Townie Awards presentation for its ability to excite and inspire our members to continue their community revitalization efforts. Our member communities work tirelessly to improve their cities and towns, and we love having the opportunity to applaud them for their efforts.”
The Townie Awards are a part of PDC’s annual statewide conference, which is held in a different commonwealth community each year in order to highlight the respective city or town’s accomplishments in community and neighborhood revitalization. This year’s conference, held in downtown Erie, was attended by more than 200 individuals and included borough and municipal officials, experts in community planning and landscape architecture, and dozens of Main Street and Elm Street managers. Highlights of the conference included Townie keynote speaker 2nd Lady of Pennsylvania, Gisele Fetterman, nationally-recognized speakers, over thirty educational sessions, mobile workshops showcasing the Looking Glass Art Project, Urban Neighborhood Gardens Tour, Machine Alley Activation Project, Idea Lab at the Blasco Library and Lawrence Park Historic District and an Erie Food Tours experience.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Following are the 10 Townie Award winners for 2018 projects
This year’s awards by Glass Growers Gallery of Erie, PA
PROMOTIONS & MARKETING AWARDS
Organizational Excellence
Organizational Development
Wilkinsburg Community Development Corp. – Development Strategic Plan
Special Events
Oil City Arts Council and Main Street Program – BridgeFest
Retail Promotions
Venture Lititz – Lititz Promotions
General Image
Downtown York Brand Launch – “Historically Edgy”
PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS & DESIGN
Anchor Building
Our Town Foundation – 1787 Brewing Company
Asset Enhancement
Lansdowne Economic Development Corp. – Utility Works: A Creative Community
SAFE, CLEAN & GREEN AWARD
Cleanliness
Lewisburg Neighborhoods Corp. – Community Cleanup Initiative
Community Greening
Downtown Lewistown, Inc. – Adopt A Planter
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
SSJ Neighborhood Network – Gary McEnery
CHAIRMAN’S AWARD FOR YOUTH INVOLVEMENT
Clearfield Revitalization Corp. – Murals, Scarecrows, and Window Painting
Programs receiving Honorable Mention awards:
Organizational Excellence
Organizational Development
Main Street Mount Joy
Special Events
United Neighborhood Centers of NEPA – 2nd Annual Welcoming Scranton
Special Events
Downtown Bellefonte – Under the Lights
