Last week, Casting A Vision, described what Weldon could be. It spoke of the many shops and bed and breakfast inns, beautiful parks and an attractive streetscape, as well as the sites to see and things to do in Weldon.

The couple that made the visit to Weldon, would be typical of the tourist that would make such a visit. I know this to be a realistic example, based on the experiences that my wife, Angel and I, encountered when we operated the Weldon Place Inn Bed and Breakfast from 1992 to1999 (we have since sold that business). On a regular basis, we entertained guests who were making a weekend getaway to our little town.

Also based on information that I have gathered over the years by being in the bed and breakfast business, my positions on the Halifax County Tourism Authority and reading about and attending seminars on community revitalization and downtown development, I am able to relate to you the potential impact of attracting tourists to an atmosphere as described in the vision for Weldon. In addition to the economic impact it would have on the community, the general well being of the citizens of Weldon would be greatly enhanced as well.

It has been estimated, that a typical couple on a weekend getaway would spend an average of $250.00. But if we put a calculator to the visit that the couple made in last week's story, we would see that they spent much more than that.

They spent two nights in a bed and breakfast, had at least three lunches, two dinners, did some shopping, went on a river cruise, made a modest contribution to the museum and got a refill of gas for the return trip home. This could be between $350.00-$400.00 spent.

This does not include the fishing guide that could run upwards of $300.00 a day or the deposit for the 3 day canoe and camping trip that they are going to return and take in the summer. All totaled this couple could have spent as much as $700.00 plus during their trip to Weldon.

Remember now, that they got the last room available among several bed and breakfast inns. For this example, let’s say there are four bed and breakfasts inns, each with four rooms.

That’s 16 couples visiting Weldon on this particular weekend. If each expended a conservative amount of $350.00 on their weekend, that would be $5,600.00 spend among area businesses.

To further expand this example, let's say that in addition to the 16 couples spending the weekend, there are two dozen families that come on a Saturday and another 16 on Sunday for a day trip. Each family may spent about $150.00 on meals, shopping and entertainment. That will be another $6000.00. This could total nearly $12,000.00 spent in one weekend among area businesses.

Believe me when I say that the businesses of this area would be thrilled to have an additional $12,000.00 a weekend pumped into the cash registers.

The vision story of last week described a downtown that not only would be enjoyable to visitors, but would also be something the local community would be excited about.

When there is a vibrant main street, it servers as a symbol of the community’s economic health, providing a higher level of quality of life, giving it’s citizens something to have pride in and it encompasses the communities history.

These are all factors that are looked at by the industrial, commercial and professional developers. Many times these developers will look to see how an area has dealt with their existing business districts and neighborhoods when considering locating there themselves.

A vital main street helps to retain and creates jobs, which means a stronger tax base. Main streets are also good incubators for new small businesses, which are a building block of a healthy economy. Often new entrepreneurs will find it too expensive to locate in a strip shopping center or mall.

The traditional commercial district is an ideal location for independent businesses. These small Mom and Pops are usually local families with family-owned businesses who will keep profits in town as opposed to chain businesses whom sends its profits out of town. They support local community projects, such as ball teams and schools and provide an extremely stable economic foundation, as opposed to a few large businesses and chains with no ties to stay in the community. This sounds like a good reason to shop at home and to do that shopping with the locally owned Mom and Pop businesses.

When revitalizing a main street it reduces sprawl by concentrating retail in one area and using a community’s resources wisely, such as existing infrastructure, it’s tax dollars for public services and land that has already been developed. And a healthy main street protects property values in surrounding residential neighborhoods.

A revitalized main street increases the community's options for goods and services: whether for basic staples, like clothing, food and professional services or less traditional functions such as housing and entertainment.

A town’s main street provides an important civic forum as well, providing a place where members of the community can congregate. Parades, special events and celebrations held there reinforce an intangible sense of community.

Then many main street districts become tourist attractions just by the virtue of the character of its buildings, location, selection of unique businesses, and events held there.

From my way of thinking, it seems to me that after examining the economic benefit and the contributions a revitalized main street makes to a community we need to make an all out effort To Make It Happen.

So, how do we get there from here! That will be explored next week.