By Cameron Wong, 2023 PreserveWA Fellow; Board Member, Renton Downtown Partnership; Development Specialist, APIAHiP: Asian Pacific Islander Americans in Historic Preservation

PreserveWA Fellows are students and young professionals who attend our annual Main Street and preservation conference and then write an article about what they learned as an attendee (or other relevant topic). Look out for articles from our 2023 Fellows in this year’s issues of This Place.

I’ve always been a fan of places and how they make me feel, from running into a friend while walking to my favorite coffeeshop in Renton to how the streets come alive during the summer farmers market season. I’ve come to learn that these places are intentionally designed to be enjoyable. As a first-time RevitalizeWA conference attendee, I was thrilled to go to a new city to meet people with the same passion for places, Main Streets, and historic preservation as I had.

I’ve heard it said that businesses are the heart of our cities and communities. This couldn’t be truer in our local Main Streets. Neighborhood grocery stores, coffeeshops, and local shops serve as Third Places and contribute to a community’s distinct culture. Hearing from the owners of local businesses like Divine Consign and Kindred Homestead Supply during the conference about their business origin stories, their passion for their work, and the sense of community they find in Vancouver made for a really engaging experience. Divine Consign hosting the opening gathering showed their commitment to downtown revitalization and building community, and Kindred Homestead Supply spoke about how they and other downtown businesses support each other’s growth. It’s evident that in all of our downtowns, our businesses tell a unique story and are some of the biggest and most invested advocates for our communities.

At RevitalizeWA, I also witnessed the importance of partnerships in driving Vancouver’s community-centered projects. For instance, Vancouver’s Downtown Association is collaborating with the City of Vancouver to communicate with and support downtown businesses through volunteer block captains during Main Street Promise, a major infrastructure project that’s happening this year. Involvement from municipalities, residents, and business and property owners alongside strong Main Street staff and board leadership is crucial to ensuring everyone has a seat at the table in shaping the downtown. We’re still working on getting more people involved in our decisions in Renton, and Vancouver served as a great example of what true collaboration looks like.

Our world is becoming more global, more digital, and more convenience driven. We can buy almost any product imaginable with two-day shipping, be entertained for hours online, or get a taste of any culture in the world with a trip to the supermarket. While these modern inventions can be useful, they also show that the work of Main Streets is more important than ever. Nothing can replace the sense of community derived from pride in your hometown, the strength of local businesses, or contributing to making your downtown an even more enjoyable place to be. Like any long-term goal, the work of Main Street takes an organized approach, support, and a clear vision to achieve. If you haven’t been recently, I encourage you to visit your local Main Street and to think about what makes your downtown special. When you see a piece of public art, vibrant businesses, or fun events in your downtown, you’re seeing Main Street at work!

Photo: The newest piece of public art in Vancouver, Volunteer Corner, designed to highlight the incredible efforts of volunteers in the community. Photo courtesy of Cameron Wong.