Posted by MH on February 17, 2002 at 17:56:43:
In Reply to: Revitalizing Kittanning Debate posted by Karen Rudolph on February 17, 2002 at 15:27:32:
Your thoughts are EXACTLY what I was driving at!!! I smirked while reading your thoughts about a tea room at the old train station. That landmark would do wonders to the Kittanning area. I had though about a coffee shop there.
But alas, again it takes us 'outsiders' to even bring up such thoughts. This was the entire flip side of my argument.
Kittanning SHOULD be a great place not only to live but to visit. Heck, look at what Smicksburg has done. A very tiny community that came up with a niche idea and ran with it. Now, people from the Pittsburgh area make special plans just to go there.
Look at Williamsburg, VA. Granted, it's more of an extreme with the 'townsfolk' dressing up and playing the parts of history... BUT, it was a great idea that has drawn millions of tourists.
Kittanning could do similar. It WOULD have been nice if the train tracks still existed as a small touring company could have been lured into the area. People would have travelled to the area to 'go back in time' to the days where the old steam engines roared. Believe me, children especially LOVE trains and guess who is VERY influential in deciding where the family spends its disposable income - yes, the children.
Or, switching our train of thought (no pun intended), with the celebration of the cadet, why not harken the town back to its heyday of the 40s and 50s. Make downtown a 'cruising street' with soda stands and diners.
Just some ideas to throw out there.