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Release</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Oregon Parks and Recreation Department<br>
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br>
Release Date: February 26, 2024<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Media Contact:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sheri Stuart, Oregon Main Street Coordinator <br>
503-986-0679, sheri.stuart@oprd.oregon.gov<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Oregon Main Street Adds One New Designated Main Street and Four New Affiliated Main Street Communities to the Network<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p> </o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">SALEM, Oregon – Oregon Main Street (OMS) has accepted Baker City Downtown at the Designated Main Street level of the Oregon Main Street Network and added Downtown Bend Business Association, Corvallis Downtown Organization, Main Street Mosier,
and the Yamhill Downtown Association at the Affiliated Main Street level of the OMS Network.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Communities participating at these levels have a high degree of commitment to using the nationally recognized place-based Main Street Approach™ methodology to create lasting impact in enhancing their historic downtowns.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">They must have a cohesive core of historic or older commercial and mixed-use buildings that represent the community’s architectural heritage and may include compatible in-fill. They must also have a sufficient mass of businesses, buildings,
and density to be effective, as well as be a compact and pedestrian-oriented district.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Designated Main Street level is a mark of distinction that reflects a demonstrated effort to building, growing, and sustaining a main street organization to support efforts to improve a community’s historic downtown by leveraging partnerships
and engaging community members. Communities at this level have access to technical assistance to help them continue to strengthen their efforts and impact.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The primary emphasis of the Affiliated Main Street level is to provide technical assistance to programs in their formative years of developing and implementing the Main Street Approach™. Acceptance into this level allows communities to
participate in training, community assessments, technical assistance, and receive local capacity building support.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The selection process included submitting an application that describes their district, previous efforts to improve downtown, commitment to implementing the Main Street Approach™, board development efforts, partnerships, in addition to
other criteria.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Currently, there are over 100 communities in Oregon participating in one of the four levels of the Oregon Main Street Network: Accredited Main Street, Designated Main Street, Affiliated Main Street, and Connected Communities. There isn’t
a fee to participate in the Oregon Main Street Network.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Oregon Main Street is part of Oregon Heritage in Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"># # # <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>State Contact</u>:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sheri Stuart, OMS Coordinator<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:sheri.stuart@oprd.oregon.gov">sheri.stuart@oprd.oregon.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">503-551-3705<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><o:p><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Local Contacts</u>:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Baker City Downtown<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ariel Reker, Executive Director<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:bakercitydowntown@gmail.com">bakercitydowntown@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">541-283-6963<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Downtown Bend Business Association<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Rachel O’Rourke, Executive Director<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:rachel@downtownbend.org">rachel@downtownbend.org</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">503-660-7196<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Downtown Corvallis Association<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jen Waters, President<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:downtowncorvallis1@gmail.com">downtowncorvallis1@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">541-250-1707<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Main Street Mosier<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Andrea Weinman, Board Vice President<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:andhow@sterling.net">andhow@sterling.net</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">503-703-3330<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Yamhill Downtown Association<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Kara Weber, President<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:karaweber111@gmail.com">karaweber111@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">503-550-2135<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.0pt;color:#4F6228;letter-spacing:2.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#4F6228">Sheri Stuart
</span></b><b><span style="font-size:8.0pt;color:#4F6228">(she, her, hers) </span>
</b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:gray">| Oregon Main Street Coordinator</span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#4F6228"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:3.0pt;color:#A6A6A6">___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:gray">Oregon Heritage, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:gray">Desk: (503)986-0679 cell: (503)551-3705<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:gray">725 Summer St NE, Ste C<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:gray">Salem, Oregon 97301<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:gray">Visit our <a href="http://www.oregonheritage.org/">
<span style="color:blue">website</span></a>, Like us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OregonHeritage">
<span style="color:blue">Facebook</span></a>, Visit our <a href="http://oregonheritage.wordpress.com/">
<span style="color:blue">Blog</span></a>, Join the Oregon Heritage News <a href="https://omls.oregon.gov/mailman/listinfo/Heritage">
<span style="color:#0563C1">e-news</span></a> Check our</span><span style="color:black">
</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:#333333"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/oregon-parks-and-recreation-department/"><span style="color:#23527C">LinkedIn</span></a></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:gray">.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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