It’s Alive!!! Let’s Keep It That Way!!!

For someone who grew up in Presque Isle, Saturday evening, Dec. 1, was like a trip back in time, awakening memories of many years ago. The center of town glowed with a Christmas atmosphere that warmed the heart and nurtured the soul.     What was it about the evening that created this feeling? It was the evening of the annual Holiday Light Parade.
The parade itself was an important indication of how far the downtown has come this year. It seemed as though there were more participants than ever in the parade, even though the evening was, to say the least, chilly. The many floats delighted and entertained their audience and created an easy excitement that kids feel, no matter what their age. And each float seemed to be decorated more brightly and beautifully than ever before, giving off a Christmas glow that could probably be seen all the way to the North Pole.
There were Christmas lights defining windows of apartments and rooms along Main Street. Business windows were happily decorated and gave a look of neatness, pride and success to the downtown. Even some of the people who had never decorated their windows got into the spirit and created lovely displays. Many stores were open that evening and enjoyed having people wander in, sometimes for the first time, to check out their wares.
For the first time in many years, there were lights on inside the Braden Theater, bringing it alive again and giving many of us a Christmas gift with a worth beyond measure. And there were many new shops joining those who had been around for a while to help ring in the holiday season.
But the greatest gift of all was that of friendships and getting together in joy and peace. People were able to see and talk to acquaintances they hadn’t seen for a while. Friends met and had coffee or a meal after the parade and caught up on old (or new) times. Parents took their children to the parade, and as any adult knows, there is nothing like the look on a child’s face as they watch the Christmas lights, beautiful floats, and Santa Claus being brought in on his sleigh. It was easy to feel the energy from this event. What a way to usher in Christmas.
Imagine what it would be like if we could keep that energy, that spirit, that sense of friendship all year long. Is that impossible?
Absolutely not.
For the past couple of years, as you know, the Presque Isle Downtown Revitalization Committee has worked hard, together with the Presque Isle Area Chamber of Commerce, the City of Presque Isle, and the Presque Isle City Council, to re-energize our downtown. Our goal has been to make Main Street, Presque Isle, a destination – not just for travelers, but for residents and visitors. We want to create and maintain the kind of atmosphere we just experienced during the Holiday Light Parade, where people want to come shop, eat, or do business. We want the hometown atmosphere to blossom and stay alive. We want that same atmosphere to surround us all and make us feel loved and welcome. We want to provide a stable economic environment where we can earn a decent living. And we want that same stable economy to support our children so they don’t have to move away in order to make a comfortable life for themselves.
People have asked what they can do to support this effort. Many have offered monetary support, which may be necessary as time goes on. But the greatest thing that citizens in the area can do is to support the merchants and business owners who have invested in owning and/or operating a business in Presque Isle. Citizens can encourage others to do the same. We can all work to improve some of the less desirable buildings by talking with their owners about fixing them up. Let’s make every place in our city show how we’ve pulled together to make downtown Presque Isle the commercial hub of Aroostook County. Let’s show the world how proud we are of our town, how successful it is, and how we all cared enough to bring it back to the beautiful lady it once was.
The bottom line is this: Presque Isle is our city. We need to work hard to help revitalize it and support it. Many people have said that nothing will ever change in Presque Isle. Bah Humbug!
Look at all that’s happened on Main Street over the last couple of years. Let’s keep that momentum going. Call your city council members with your thoughts. Contact the Chamber of Commerce office. Contact the Presque Isle Downtown Revitalization Committee.
Join our efforts to maintain the healthy hometown atmosphere that is so good for us all!
We welcome your thoughts and opinions. It’s your city. We need your input in order to make it better. You can e-mail us at pidrc@yahoo.com or write us at: The Presque Isle Downtown Revitalization Committee, 411 Main St., Presque Isle, Maine 04769.
For more information about the PIDRC, e-mail us at pidrc@yahoo.com or call Sandy Gauvin (764-0876), Cathy Beaulieu at Wilder’s Jewelry Store (764-0309), or Patty LeBlanc (769-7731), or you can contact us at the address listed above.
We meet at the Presque Isle Area Chamber of Commerce on the Houlton Road at 7:30 a.m. on the first and third Thursdays of each month. Please join in our efforts to help our wonderful city.
The Presque Isle Downtown Revitalization Committee is an ad hoc committee of the Presque Isle City Council