January 26, 2013
We started about 3 years ago as a small grass roots effort speaking against dissolution of the village and have organized, stood strong, worked hard and whittled away at issues and goals.
Pro-Brockport continues to have a strong presence in the community by speaking out on the issues important to the health of our village, working with elected officials and also partnering with various groups to promote positive living in the village.
Pro-Brockport 2012 year-end inventory of accomplishments - a Partial List:
· Partnering with Town of Sweden, Judge Bob Connors, we are working with people who are required by the court to do community service. We work to maintain and enhance village parks and gardens including; Remembrance Park, Sagawa Park, the Village Hall, Welcome Center, Harvester Park, Corbett Park and the Erie Canal Pathway.
· Partnering with Brockport Village Merchants to develop “fencing”, soil enhancement and planting for the garden squares around the trees on Main and Market Streets (using Ted Hawley’s fence design model in front of Fountain of Youth Organics).
· Thanks to patient and creative tech guru, Susan Smith, we have a fabulous and growing website www.probrockport.org which includes recordings of the Brockport Village Board meetings, available 24/7. We hope to include meetings of the Town of Sweden, Brockport Fire District and the Village of Brockport Zoning and Planning Boards in the near future.
· Partnering with the Historic Preservation Board, Pro-Brockport is helping with the application of 71 houses being designated as an historic residential district on the State and National Registers. An off shoot website www.brockporthistorichomes.org is the collection of the documentation for the application and features the house histories written by Village Trustee, Carol Hannan.
· Working with Trustee, Carol Hannan, on her “Revitalization of Brockport, House by House”, at 65 Fayette St, Brockport.
· Fund raising, image building and promotion of the village: 1.) Pro-Brockport T-shirts, are ready for sale; solid color $12, tie dye $16. 2.) A photo competition focusing on the “Best of Brockport” for the upcoming Picture Brockport 2014 Calendar sponsored by Pro-Brockport.
· Main St. beautification – tending to the hanging baskets. Thank you to Pro-Brockport member, Mark Ketchum, for your dedication to watering these beautiful baskets through the summer season! Many others helped with putting up and taking down the baskets.
· Partnering with Carol Hannan to educate the public about the genealogy and significance of the historic architecture, residents and living in the village in earlier days.
· Helped to fund the summer concert series at the Welcome Center.
· Provided an inventory/information to Trustee, Bill Andrews, for a grant for plantings along the north side of the Erie Canal Pathway.
· Worked diligently to support and elect a winning team for the village board who will work earnestly for the good health of the Village of Brockport.
· Inventorying and emphasizing Brockport’s Positives; past, present and future.
· Helped to sponsor the “Festival of Lights” holiday parade, made a float celebrating village parks and community service and sponsored / encouraged 3 music venues.
Future Projects.
· Supporting and electing a winning Pro-village team for our village board next June.
· Supporting the Brockport Ambulance Corp.
· Sponsoring the upcoming Landmark Society Conference, to be held in Brockport, on April 20, 2103.
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Sponsoring the upcoming “Low Bridge / High Water” canal opening festival in May 2013.
· Speaking out on quality of living issues.
· Working to revitalize our neighborhoods.
· Promoting Brockport as an inviting, complete entity – a wonderful, walkable, authentic Victorian village – a unique place to live and grow families and traditions.
Editor's note: To learn more visit the ProBrockport web site by clicking here.
