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Published October 5, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. | Updated October 6, 2016 at 4:58 p.m.
10/1/16: The small town of Bethel came alive this weekend with a revitalization project that will hopefully have long lasting effects. Empty storefronts along Bethel's Main Street were transformed into pop-up shops selling local art, a temporary bike lane sprouted up along the main drag, a taco stand served up hot grub and an empty parking lot became a beer garden with live music. And most importantly, there were people gathered downtown to enjoy all of these improvements.
Once a bustling mill town, Bethel faces the challenges of many small Vermont towns with empty storefronts that fail to draw crowds and inspire community. Five years after Tropical Storm Irene hit the town hard, the residents have recovered and are banding together to imagine Bethel's future.
This weekend event was organized by the Bethel Revitalization Initiative, Team Better Block and AARP Vermont. This is the first Better Block project in Vermont and the long-term goal is to continue to brainstorm ways to revitalize a downtown that is ripe for change.
Music: Spencer Lewis (a Bethel resident), "Pregnant Sky," "High Over Bethel #2," "Reaching For"
This episode of Stuck in Vermont was made possible by
Hotel Vermont and Vermont Tourism
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About The Author
Eva Sollberger
Bio:
Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger has been making her award-winning video series, "Stuck in Vermont," since 2007. New episodes appear on the Seven Days website every other Thursday and air the following night on the WCAX evening news. Sign up at sevendaysvt.com to receive an email alert each time a new one drops. And check these pages every other week for insights on the episodes.
Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger has been making her award-winning video series, "Stuck in Vermont," since 2007. New episodes appear on the Seven Days website every other Thursday and air the following night on the WCAX evening news. Sign up at sevendaysvt.com to receive an email alert each time a new one drops. And check these pages every other week for insights on the episodes.
