DOWNTOWN FALLON

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Downtown Fallon is undergoing a renaissance!

After years of neglect, business flight to the west, and other factors that negatively affect a lot of communities around the country, downtown Fallon is making a comeback.

With the help of an ISTEA grant, Fallon has completed the first phase of redevelopment in its downtown core. Maine St. was narrowed from four lanes to two to allow for easier pedestrian movement. Other improvements include new sidewalks, street furniture, lights, and a welcome monument waterfall to identify this part of downtown and encourage visitors to stop.

Improvements to downtown play a key role in Fallon’s future. Not only does a renewed infrastructure encourage the private business sector to invest downtown, it also helps create reasons for visitors and residents alike to go downtown. Re-establishing downtown as a community gathering place allows Fallon to preserve what many communities are losing through urban sprawl and unfocused growth. The new street will also create new tourism opportunities for Fallon.

There are several things that happen when you create pedestrian friendly settings and streets with curb appeal. Friendly streets with curb appeal encourage people to stop. 97% of visits to rural areas are by private vehicle such as cars, RV’s, and motorcycles. Therefore, it is imperative that Fallon adopts a strategy that encourages people to stop by providing a downtown core where visitors feel safe, welcome, or at home.

Future intermodal transportation projects that can encourage investment by the private sector to bring shopping, dining and other entertainment businesses downtown are critical. Investing in "curb appeal" is key to this. Curb appeal investment has a great "return on investment." First impressions create lasting impressions and state what you have to offer. Landscaping, flowers, benches, wide sidewalks, etc. cannot be underestimated in their ability to lure visitors because visitors are attracted to attractive communities. Curb appeal transcends tourism. It’s the most powerful economic tool.

One of the benefits that this first phase of redevelopment and future projects bring with them is the creation of a synergy among diverse community stake holders. This synergy creates enthusiasm and nothing great is ever accomplished without enthusiasm. Some of the stakeholders include Downtown businesses (did you know that 90% of tourism businesses across the country are small businesses), the Churchill County Museum, the Churchill Arts Council, Trails Across Churchill County, Fallon Convention & Tourism Authority, CEDA, and there are numerous others, including the residents of Fallon and Churchill County.

The residents of the City and County are important stakeholders for a number of reasons. But, residents are also an important component for tourism visits. One of the top reasons for travel is to visit friends and family. Everything that can be done to make downtown a safe, beautiful, worthwhile and social destination for residents will encourage those residents to bring visiting family and friends downtown. This will invigorate community pride that will spill over onto visitors and others in the community.

Plans to renovate Maine St. all the way to the Museum, and Center St. from Taylor to Oats Park, are key to bringing people back downtown. An arts corridor to the Oats Park Arts Center, an historical walking tour along Maine St., and creating access to downtown for the community’s older citizens will help foster that heart of a community that healthy ones require.

About the same time the renovation project on Maine St. in downtown Fallon began, a commission was formed to help the community celebrate the new millennium and commemorate the old. It began in 1999 with events and projects coordinated by Fallon’s Millennium Commission. The events such as a Nevada Day celebration, New Year’s Eve bonfire, fireworks and ball, concerts in the park, fun runs, etc., were so successful that the commission has continued to host and sponsor a number of events through the year 2008. It is hoped that many of these events will become community traditions, established by the Millennium Commission, but carried on by various organizations in the community long after the commission is dissolved. We’ll see if this indeed takes place. Look on the events calendar for Millennium events around Nevada Day and over the Christmas holidays.

The Millennium Commission, through fund raising efforts and grants, has undertaken several projects that will leave lasting marks on the City. The commission recently purchased a blighted parcel of land on the northeast corner of Williams Ave. and Maine St. for a "Millennium Park," a small park that will greet travelers coming through town and one that residents can enjoy all year round. The commission also purchased a clock tower that will be placed in the park. The commission has been a catalyst for reinvigorating the community. Soon, bricks for the new Millennium Park will go on sale. For information about purchasing a brick call 775.423.5105.

The City is working hard to ensure your stay is a pleasant and memorable one. Enjoy Fallon.