By: Charles Romans
Carter County Times
The newly minted tourism commission in Olive Hill is wasting no time getting to work to attract visitors to the city. One way they’re doing this is working to get everyone involved in a process which will ultimately benefit the entire city and beyond. That process includes giving many of the buildings in Olive Hill’s downtown a much-needed makeover, including power washing and painting among other things.
Though the new commission might not be doing the heavy lifting for these projects initially, it could very well be the spark that ignites the process. Recently Kiera Irick and Tonya Michelle Bond Judd from Journey to Heal stepped up with donations not only of sign boards and paint to assist in the revitalization efforts, but also brought with them a team of volunteers to be the ‘boots on the ground’ for the first phase of the revitalization. Those volunteers will also be earning community service hours for their work in a community that hasn’t always welcomed them with open arms, but is learning to appreciate the support they offer.
Volunteer efforts are coordinated by Journey to Heal Project Managers Donald Beller and Tim Varnsdale with hands on dedication, direction, and support. While volunteers work to reinvigorate Olive Hill’s downtown, they are also reinvigorating their own lives and reinvesting in themselves in a positive manner. Renovating neglected buildings, if only on the surface at first, helps the volunteers to improve themselves and learn just what is possible with hard work and determination, Beller and Varnsdale explained. And thanks to their efforts, Olive Hill residents get to see firsthand just what their city can become.
Most of the buildings in the downtown area are not owned by the city, so the renovation would not be possible without the support of the owners of the buildings. Jim Short is a former Olive Hill mayor and owner of property on Railroad Street, and the tourism commission said that he was glad to hear their vision for a reinvigorated city. Short, the commission said, gladly gave permission to beautify the space and went beyond that by donating the use of his motorized lift to reach the higher levels of the buildings.
The city itself is also joining in the efforts, the commission said. They were quick to install uplighting before the upcoming Fourth of July festivities and have made every other effort to support the reinvigoration of Olive Hill. Mayor Jerry Callihan was credited by the commission not only for his unwavering support but also for spearheading many of the upcoming projects.
Phase one of the Beautification Project will begin on Railroad Street and focuses on blight removal and beautification. This includes the demolition of condemned and acquired structures, vegetation overgrowth removal, the hanging of strategically placed flower baskets and planters in the downtown area, and removing junk or surplus vehicles. After completing a substantial amount of phase one, the stage will be set to move forward in a positive direction, the tourism commission said.
After phase one is complete, other phases of the Beautification project will kick in, Brittany Rayburn of the Olive Hill Tourism Commission said. The overall goal with the beautification is to attract people and businesses to the downtown area, she explained. More traffic means more business and more revenue, which will ultimately assist in the city’s growth and vitality of the city and surrounding areas. Rayburn said that they are off to a great start, and now the key is to maintain momentum.
“We have got something started,” Rayburn said. “And hopefully more people will jump in to keep things going. Let’s all come together and get motivated. Let’s clean up and fix up our town.”
Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com
