Dover Main Street Annual Report 2005-2006

Preserve the Past, Promote the Present and Facilitate the Future

Promotion

The Promotion Committee volunteers continued their tradition of Holiday events this past year with Christmas Readings and surprise Santa Visits at Café On The Corner and Harvey’s Bakery. A major change in philosophy was the strategy of placing Santa into the local businesses for special events, rather than staffing the Santa House downtown. This proved to be a successful change with well-attended events such as “Letters to Santa” at Leaps and Bounds, and “Cookie Decorating” with Santa and Mrs. Claus at Café Ciabatta. Our award-winning Dover Gift Certificate Program expanded to more than 80 businesses participating in the promotion, and record-breaking sales of more than $8,000.

Our focus over the year was to foster cooperative advertising and promotional opportunities with the downtown businesses. Special group meetings were held with the restaurants and tourism related businesses that developed several new initiatives. The Restaurants group produced a “Dining Around Dover” card that enabled patrons to receive a stamp when dining at downtown establishments. The cards were then entered into a free drawing for Dover Gift Certificates when they were completed. The Tourism Group used the cooperative approach to place the first ever Dover ads in the Amtrak Downeaster Schedule, promoting Dover attractions, lodging, dining, and retail. Volunteers also produced a very popular tear-off map that businesses and government could easily use to provide directions and information on the downtown area. The highlight of the year was the receipt of a $5,000 grant from the NH Office Of Travel and Tourism Joint Promotional Program Grant that enable us to form a partnership with local businesses, the Dover Chamber of Commerce, and the City to design, print, and professionally distribute 100,000 “Destination Dover” Brochures across New Hampshire and along our bordering states over the coming year. Designed to promote the image of Dover as a great place to work, shop, live, and play, the project had a total cost of $18,000.

Economic Enhancement

The volunteers of the Economic Enhancement Committee worked hard over the past year on collecting data and developing the necessary components needed to launch our new interactive website, which was made possible through a substantial donation by downtown supporter J. Tyler Rohrer. The website includes a comprehensive business database and community calendar, along with a gallery of photos of Dover Main Street projects and volunteers at work. As the website continues to develop it will also include information on committee meetings and minutes, along with an interactive downtown map, on-line purchases of Dover Gift Certificates and commemoratives, and volunteer recruiting information. Please visit us at www.dovermainstreet.org

In February, Chair Doreen Rainville turned over the reigns of command to Jeff Spires. Committee members also developed and hosted a series of Merchant Coffees with topics as far ranging as directional signage, downtown parking issues, the transportation plan, and holiday lighting and events. The information and concerns brought out during these informal round table discussions have been utilized in developing the future programs of Dover Main Street. This is an example of one of our continuing small business assistance services.

One of our volunteers has spent the past year documenting downtown Dover, with its varied special events, businesses, and projects on film and video. The film and video library then provides the information needed to develop a promotional video on doing business in downtown Dover that may be shown on local Public Access and will be used in recruiting new businesses to the downtown area. The Economic Enhancement Committee also assisted in developing a “branding” campaign for the Dover Main Street Program that helps to strengthen our public image.

Organization

The Organization Committee went back to the basics in 2005 by organizing the 2005 Annual Meeting and Volunteer Appreciation Dinner at Café at the Falls. It was a great evening to say thank you to our volunteers and recognize those that have made Dover Main Street what it is today. In November the Organization Committee brought National Retail Professional Rick Segal to Dover as part of our Technical Service provided by the NH Main Street Center. Over 25 businesses attended an evening seminar on “Marketing Your Business”. Prior to the Seminar Rick spent the day working one on one with six downtown businesses suggesting ways to improve their image and increase sales, many of which have been implemented with successful results. These two events allowed Dover Main Street to give back to the volunteers and merchants that have given their time to make Dover a true Destination.

Our main task of 2005 was to come up with ways to educate people on what Dover Main Street is and how they can volunteer. We decided that we should look at developing a new Dover Main Street Brochure and creating a Volunteer Handbook. This allows for new volunteers to learn about the different achievements of Dover Main Street and the different Committees that make up the organization. We have also asses a volunteer interests section to the handbook to give volunteers the chance to let us know their talents and interests so we can help place them on the right projects.

Overall this has been a great year for the Organization Committee. We look forward to help Dover Main Street grow over the next year. Thank you to the committee members and the help of everyone in Dover Main Street.

2005 Statistics of Downtown Dover

• 29 New Businesses
  
• 27 Building Improvements totaling almost $700,000
  
• Over 100 New Jobs in Dover
  
• Over 20 downtown promotional project costing @ $30,000
  
  

Design / Beautification

During fiscal year 2005-2006, the Design Committee initiated and coordinated a number of new projects. There was a big push to help beautify downtown Dover with flower gardens in open spaces. After considerable planning over the winter, Main Street’s award-winning Tuttle Square Park, at the corner of Silver Street and Central Avenue, was completed in the summer of 2006. In addition, our Beautification Team continued planting hundreds more bulbs and annuals, and then weeded and maintained those beds. In 2006, three new areas were added: a parcel behind Dover Brick House, the Waldron Court planters, and the space between the Barley Pub and Central Paint. A new site has also been indentified in front of Smiley’s Market, and this area should be completed by spring 2007. Finally, the Design Committee continued its active participation in Dover Pride Clean-up Day, an annual event each spring, and initiated plans for the first Fall Clean-up Day, scheduled for November 2006.

Design Committee members made major contributions to the artwork, set design and construction for the 2006 historic “Reveal” reenactment: “Factory on Fire”, and look forward to working on upcoming events in this series. The new Street Banner project has been a success, with the first set of banners currently on display on poles up and down Central Avenue. Holiday banners are next and the Committee hopes, (with the addition of new sponsors) to increase the scope of this project with new banners on Washington and Chestnut Streets. Finally, the Design Committee is producing a 2007 version of its award-winning Dover Historic Desk Calendar, and sales will kick-off at Apple Harvest Day on October 7th.

We look forward to working on several exciting new projects the coming year. New construction of the restored façade at Harvey’s Bakery (Merchants Row) will begin in October. We have also launched Main Street’s Front Porch Initiative with an exterior makeover of Dover’s City Hall on September 23rd. This was followed by the distribution of color brochures to all downtown merchants, explaining how businesses might beautify their own space, thus strengthening their appeal to customers. In conclusion, the Design Committee continues its work for the creation of a task force comprised of City staff, Chamber of Commerce members, downtown merchants, and civic groups to raise awareness and to advocate for wide support for our strategic plan to enhance Dover’s image.

Events

“Viva Las Vegas” provided attendees with a complete entertainment experience: music, food and drinks, live and silent auctions, games of chance, and even costumed entertainers performing magic tricks and other sideshow acts. The venue for the event was the Auditorium located on the second floor of City Hall, a rare and unique space that many attendees never even knew existed prior to the “Viva Las Vegas” event. The “Taste of Dover” featured 16 local restaurants and caterers serving a dizzying array of complimentary hors d’oeuvres, entrees, soups, and desserts. These vendors were situated behind a 78 foot long hand-crafted façade that helped virtually transport attendees to Las Vegas. The glitzy, shimmering façade featured over 6,000 flashing and chasing lights that helped depict signs and images of Las Vegas, including a pair of 3-foot lighted dice that cantilevered over the crowd, a working volcano, a boxing ring, a gigantic poker-hand (a Royal Straight Flush, or course!), a wedding chapel, a life-size pool table and an eight foot Elvis poster. The event also featured both Live and Silent Auction components, a cash bar, a DJ playing Vegas show tunes, a magician and a giant Wheel of Fortune.

“Viva Las Vegas” was conceived, planned, designed and carried out by more than 60 Main Street volunteers. Donated auction items, complimentary refreshments and cash sponsorships were received from more than 200 area businesses and individuals, resulting in net proceeds equaling over 40% of the entire Dover Main Street operating budget for 2005.

The seventh annual Dover Pride/Downtown Clean Up Day in May was sponsored by Laconia Savings Bank, with over 363 volunteers turning out to improve 15 sites around downtown Dover. Volunteers were treated to a pancake breakfast by the Dover Kiwanis, and then lunch following the work day by Dominos Pizza and Seacoast Coca-Cola. 11 site sponsors along with the cooperation of Dover Community Services and partnerships with organizations such as Dover Rotary and Dover Fire and Rescue provided the means for volunteers to amass almost 1400 hours raking, weeding, pruning, planting, spreading, and cleaning in the downtown area. Volunteer services on this day alone represented a $25,000 donation to the city of Dover.

Reveals

Garrison Hill: The Panorama Revealed & Factory on Fire! The Cocheco Mill Blaze of 1907 Revealed

In September 2005, the third “Revealed” event was a one-day historic and music-filled extravaganza called “Garrison Hill: The Panorama Revealed” atop Dover’s highest point. The Fire and Police Departments both loaned tents, and the police provided traffic enforcement, parking cones, and signage. The Community Services Department provided port-a-potties, ran a temporary electrical connection from a nearby pole, and repainted (twice!) the graffiti on the steel structure of the 65-foot Garrison Hill Tower. Facilities and Grounds crews did a massive trimming of overgrown brush and scrub trees that had obstructed panoramic views of the city, and also used inmates from the Strafford County Jail’s Work Release Program to assist with the clean-up. Extra trash barrels and picnic benches were delivered by city staff and the Recreation Department loaned their 14-passenger van for those who needed a ride up the steep hill. The Cocheco Mills also lent us their trolley and driver. A lively cast entertained “in character” and the 19th century atmosphere of the original Garrison Hill barbershop chorus, and a children’s games area. Besides being fortunate to have extraordinary weather for this event, it could not have come together so successfully without the outstanding cooperation of our municipal city departments, numerous donors, and dedicated volunteers.

In May 2006, Dover Main Street sponsored its fourth annual “Revealed” event: “Factory on Fire! The Cocheco Mill Blaze of 1907 Revealed” at the One Washington Center mill. Casting sessions were held in March at the Dover Public Library and rehearsals commenced in April. Many of the 125-member cast were veterans of all four “revealed” productions and enjoy returning annually as a “new” historical character.

Approximately 50 other cast members were new to this production which led its audience, in groups of 20, on guided tours of 28 scenes on all five floors of the mill. Tour participants watched the progression of events which resulted in the tragic 1907 fire. The Factory on Fire production ran for six days over two weekends and attendance topped 1300 for the 60+ guided tours of the mill, which re-created, with sets, costumes and backdrops, the early 20th century Cocheco cotton mill.

With these two productions, this year’s “Revealed” events raised over $12,000 for the Dover Main Street program and its downtown revitalization efforts. Without the dedicated involvement, enthusiastic cooperation, and community spiritedness of hundreds of volunteers, neither of these complex historical reenactments would have been possible. Dover Main Street owes special thanks to Foster’s Daily Democrat who underwrote both of these productions with a most generous grant. The fruits of everyone’s labor have been visible in our local citizens’ pride in the history of our community.

Board Members

Michelle Sawyer, Board Chair
Janet Perry, Vice-Chair
Tom Massingham, Secretary
Mike Provost, Director
Dave Hamilton, Treasurer
Cathy Beaudoin
Tony McManus
Eric Hagman
Mary Krans

Committee Chairs

Karen Mairs, Promotion Committee
Jeff Spires, Economic Enhancement Committee
Dorothy Wagner, Organization Committee
Sean Fitzgerald, Design Committee
Karen Drapaniotis, Beautification Committee

2005/2006 Awards from NH Main Street

Best Image Enhancement Program, Tuttle Square Park
Best Printed Publication, Historic Dover Desk Calendar
Best Fundraising Event, Viva! Las Vegas! Taste of Dover, Live & Silent Auction
Outstanding Dover Board Member, Christopher Parker
Outstanding Dover Volunteer, Aaron Wensley and Keith Savage

Dover Main Street
www.dovermainstreet.org

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