By Joan F. Simoneau, Community Reporter
Marlborough – At a recent meeting, the City Council agreed to consider a resolution on behalf of the Marlborough Downtown Village, to endorse the application for a Massachusetts Cultural Council District, a designation offered through the Massachusetts Cultural Council. The matter was considered at the recommendation of Ward 6 City Councilor Edward Clancy.
The Marlborough Downtown Village committee has met over the past several months, with the assistance of the Marlborough Economic Development Corporation, to develop the application, which, if accepted, will help to promote Main Street and also make it easier to apply for grant funding when available.
According to Mary B. Scott, Chair of the Marlborough Downtown Village group, an application was sent to Mayor Arthur Vigeant's office and received his approval to move forward. A public hearing for the application has been set for June 4 during the City Council's meeting.
The organization of residents, business and property owners and the Marlborough Regional Chamber of Commerce have been working for the past two years to attract artists and other cultural enterprises to the Main Street area while preserving and reusing historic buildings. To enhance the initiative, artists will be displaying their work in the windows of businesses in the downtown area, which is bounded by Broad Street, East Main Street, Granger Boulevard and Lincoln Street. Some of the advantages of the designation will include signage on Route 495 alerting travelers of the district, along with marketing and promotion from the state's office of travel and tourism.
Members of the Marlborough Cultural Council are conferring with Scott on how they can participate and help with the cultural district as it emerges. If approved the designation will be in effect for five years and renewed upon successful compliance with annual reporting requirements in prior years and a re-commitment by the city to continue their cultural district's work.