Main Street Toccoa awarded $25,787 Grant

Doyle Street will be greener and more pedestrian friendly in a few months, thanks to a grant from the Georgia Forestry Commission.

A $25,787 grant was awarded to Main Street Toccoa to replant and maintain the heritage dogwood trees that line Doyle Street. The Toccoa Woman’s Club originally planted the dogwoods some 40 years ago.

Georgia Forestry Commission Representative Gary White will make the announcement at the Main Street Toccoa Arbor Day celebration at Pruitt Park on February 19, at 4 p.m.

The funding comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through a Georgia Forestry Commission program entitled “Tree Planting for Ecosystem Restoration and Green Jobs: Georgia’s Growing Green Jobs.”

The project will expand Main Street Toccoa’s urban forest of some 200 trees in downtown Toccoa to include the popular walking areas that lead to downtown shopping and dining destinations.

Main Street Toccoa’s application, “A Walk in the Shade: Creating Green Jobs in Toccoa” was awarded full funding and will enable the City of Toccoa to plant and maintain 59 dogwoods and 12 trident maples along Doyle Street, a portion of Boulevard Street, and a portion of Tugalo Street.

“This project will provide shaded sidewalks for the people who walk along Doyle Street,” said Toccoa’s Community Planning and Downtown Development Director Connie Tabor. “The trees will encourage more people who work downtown or live in the area to walk to and around downtown on their lunch breaks as well as before and after work, and increasing pedestrian traffic will boost sales in our Main Street district.”

No matching funds were required for the grant, however Main Street Toccoa will set aside some funding to keep the plants watered and maintained until they are self sustaining.

Work on the project is expected to begin in the fall.

Main Street Toccoa recognized by Georgia Trust

Work completed last year in Historic Downtown Toccoa is continuing to garner the interest of the state.

At an award ceremony in Augusta on Friday, May 15, Main Street Toccoa received the "Excellence in Rehabilitation" award from Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, in which they recognized the canopy removal project and subsequent efforts to preserve downtown buildings.
Connie Tabor, Toccoa’s Community Planning and Downtown Development Director, and Chip Wright, GA Mountains RDC Preservation, received the award on behalf of the City of Toccoa at The Georgia Trust’s Spring Ramble, held at the Sacred Heart Cultural Center. Wright nominated Toccoa.

"It’s encouraging to see the interest state leaders have in our historic district," said Tabor. "This award shows that Georgia is pointing to Toccoa when they think of good examples of preservation policies being used to strengthen local economies and create new business and consumer opportunities."

"The 2009 Georgia Preservation Awards illustrate the best preservation activity in the state, and we are pleased to recognize Toccoa for its significant contribution to preservation," said Mark McDonald, President and CEO of the Georgia Trust.

The mission of the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation is to promote an appreciation of Georgia’s diverse historic resources and provide for their protection and use to preserve, enhance, and revitalize Georgia’s communities.