Momentum is building in Wellington North!
New interactive mural and parkette in the heart of downtown Mount Forest
Summer of 2024 saw us visiting the Township of Wellington North for downtown walkabouts and presentations in the towns of Mount Forest and Arthur, Ontario. Each community is home to citizens who are proud of their roots and passionate about bringing new energy and revitalization efforts to life.
Mount Forest boasts a busy, four-block downtown core with a good mix of retail and services for the surrounding area. The architectural details of the buildings along the main street are a ‘show-stopper’, as is the stunning, interactive wings mural and adjacent parkette. We had a great time with a group of downtown stakeholders, coming up with creative poses at the mural which would later be highlighted on social media reels.
Fires and building demolition along the main street have presented challenges for Mount Forest, as they navigate fenced and boarded off construction zones. Our presentation proposed creative solutions to these fenced area and a push for the Downtown to take immediate steps to enhance bare wooden boards. Within two weeks of our visit, local business owner Erin Kiers of Hybrid Hair & Detox Spa, organized the painting of a mural along the longest stretch of construction boards. The artwork reflected the theme of the renowned Mount Forest Fireworks Festival which was just around the corner. It was a huge hit with the community and perfect timing to celebrate this new spark. In Erin’s words: “I’m so grateful to Your Town Rising for bringing a breath of fresh area and inspiration to Mount Forest and look forward to wreaking more joyous havoc in the future!”
Our full day in Arthur was highlighted by the downtown improvements that had been accomplished since our previous visit and the energy of the community to keep the revitalization efforts going! We took note of new sidewalk bump-outs, beautiful planters and additional seating along the main street. There were also new public works of art on display and a fabulous new coffee and sandwich shop downtown.
The top end of Arthur’s main street is anchored by a beautiful parkette, with the town cenotaph, historical mural, outdoor seating and mature trees that provide a wonderfully shaded space for the community. We highlighted opportunities to increase usage of this public space with pop-up events and additional lighting that could be projected into the tree canopy to create a magical evening ambiance.
Great feedback has been received since our visit. Arthur BIA is exploring increased tree planting in the heart of main street, creative lighting options as well as a new message board. One of our challenges for local businesses was to connect with each other on social media platforms and to support, share posts and ‘shout out’ each downtown shop to build local love and increase marketing impact. Check out @arthurdowntownbia and @mountforestbia to see the continued momentum and excitement that’s building in these two wonderful towns!