Plans for a new New Cumberland are taking shape

The New Cumberland revitalization project that kicked off in October 2016 is continuing to take shape, though its momentum has been blunted by the pandemic. 

“The purpose is to draw people to the area to live, visit, shop and dine,” said Councilman Don Kibler.

In 2017, the project was brought further into focus when members of the steering committee enlisted the support of the borough and the community to raise funds for a consultant. 

“We approached businesses, foundations and civic organizations to cover the $42,000 cost to bring Gannet Fleming on board,” said Kibler. Camp Hill-based Gannett Fleming then worked with the leadership team to involve area residents by scheduling public meetings. “It was through that process that we accumulated scores of ideas and by parsing through those ideas, we were able to pinpoint five different priorities including, economic vibrancy, expanding arts, culture and entertainment, improving housing options, enhancing New Cumberland as a safe, active and healthy community and strengthening community identity.

To achieve these ends, five action teams were created and the public can expect to see tangible evidence that work is underway during the next few months. “Several initiatives are currently in the works,” said Kibler.

Here’s a brief description of what’s planned.

Hillside Park Project

According to Kibler, the recreational facilities at Hillside Elementary School at 7th Street and Brandt Avenue will undergo renovation. Improvements include resurfacing two tennis courts and replacing nets, lining the courts for pickleball, replacing the fencing, converting two of the tennis courts to basketball courts and remedying a drainage issue causing damage to a baseball field. Additional work will be done on the Beacon Hill side of Hillside Park, providing a new backstop and two safety screens on the softball field, building two new dugouts, a snack bar and a storage shed. 

Community Garden

Discussions for a community garden are also taking place. “We’re looking at Borough Park with planting to begin perhaps next year,” said Kibler.

Bike Week

Bike Week is a new event to stimulate interest in trails and bicycling in the area. There will be workshops on bike safety and demonstrations on bicycle maintenance. “

Music Fest

The Iron Bridge Music Festival it will be a family friendly summer event. Businesses are being asked to consider sponsorship packages. “Our intent is to make it an annual event if the first year goes well,” said Kibler.

West Shore Theatre renovation

According to Kibler, the “Friends of the West Shore Theater” are in the planning phase of a renovation and won’t begin work until all the funds are raised. “We’ve raised $700,000 of the $1.5 million that is needed through county and state grants and philanthropic individuals and foundations,” said Kibler, adding that the project is doable, but daunting. “We need to replace the heating, ventilation, seats, redo the interior and purchase projection and sound equipment and more. What we have is a shell of a building and we want to raise all the money first, before we begin work,” he said.

Hoping for a domino effect

Kibler is hoping that that revitalization will make the area more attractive to small businesses.

Quint Studer, author of Building a Vibrant Community: How Citizen Powered Change is Reshaping America, said that small businesses are important to local communities. “Their owners have a vested interest in the communities doing well,” he said. 

There is a symbiotic relationship between residents and small business owners, who have an active and personal interested in the well-being of the community, he said. “They live there. Their kids go to school there. They care about what happens.”

JoLyn Weist, owner of Weist Hardware on Bridge Street in New Cumberland is just one of the many business owners who is supporting the revitalization effort. “For two years I’ve seen steadily declining business,” she said, adding that people who attended the recent meetings were excited that things were happening relatively quickly. What Weist is hoping for is more retail and restaurants. “That’s what draws people,” she said.

Stephen Fleming of New Cumberland-based D’Angelo Realty said that the improvements are likely to benefit his business as well, both on the residential and the commercial side. He speculates that losing Coakleys and the theater contributed to a downturn in business. “Losing those anchors has made it more challenging,” he said.

Valerie Copenhaver, Director of Community Development at the Cumberland Area Economic Development Corporation, understands the importance of small businesses in keeping downtowns vibrant. “They are creating jobs and providing expertise, goods and services that are typically more personalized. The key, according to Copenhaver, is ensuring that the downtowns have a healthy mix of service, retail, entertainment nightlife and residential options that create a lively destination that’s open for business past 6 p.m. and on the weekends. “The more vibrant a community is, the more locals and visitors will want to live, work, play, invest and spend their money, which ultimately creates a healthier business climate,” she added.

Kibler said that part of the process was reaching out to boroughs similar to New Cumberland, like Ephrata and Lititz. “They told us it won’t get fixed overnight and it could take years, but we’ll continue to move forward. We have pride in our community and we like where we’ve been, but if you’re not actively investing in your community, it will deteriorate. The work never really ends,” he said.