The Places for People Award is an award that recognizes projects that create inclusive spaces and invite community engagement year-round. Colville Together has been named the 2024 Places for People Award recipient for its recent efforts to reinvigorate Heritage Court as a community hub.

Located in the heart of downtown Colville, Heritage Court had seen various improvements over the years but remained underutilized. Colville Together joined forces with the City of Colville, Tri County Economic Development District, and the Colville Chamber of Commerce to change that. They programmed the space with local artists, music, and businesses on Fourth Fridays during the summer months. In addition to inviting the community to spend time downtown, these events centered local food and art entrepreneurs, as well as brick-and-mortar businesses nearby.

Artist Chris Bovey was commissioned to create a Colville postcard mural on the main wall of the gathering space, creatively depicting aspects of Colville’s culture and heritage in each letter. To make Heritage Court inviting year-round, shade umbrellas were installed to combat heat and propane heaters to extend comfort into the cooler months. Free wi-fi made the space digital-friendly, appealing to all generations. Elementary students created ornaments to adorn Heritage Court’s new holiday tree. Throughout the transformation of the space, resources—funding, partners, and volunteers—were sought, including a successful $50,000 T-Mobile Hometown Grant which made many of the physical improvements possible.

“With their continuous, incremental touch on Heritage Court, Colville didn’t just activate an underutilized space—they brought their community together by creating a vibrant, inclusive community hub,” noted Washington State Main Street Program Director Breanne Durham at the Excellence on Main ceremony.