NORWICH - Downtown Norwich merchants gathered Wednesday night to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Norwich Business Improvement District and call to order its annual meeting.
Better known as “BID,” the organization was formed in 1986 with the creation of the city’s Hayes Street Parking lot located behind Broad Street businesses on the west side of the main thoroughfare. The parking lot was formerly the site of Benedict’s automobile dealership, which was taken via eminent domain.
In her presentation, BID President Pegi LoPresti jokingly referred to parking problems then, now and “probably forever.” LoPresti pointed to the numerous BID-related annual projects and accomplishments including new sidewalks, period lighting and street signs downtown to sidewalk sales, music in the parks, Pumpkin Festival, and holiday theme decorations and lighting. She honored longtime park lighting decorator Stu Chase, whom she called “Mr. Christmas.”
“On behalf of BID, the city of Norwich and all of the merchants in this room, I thank you for all you have done to beautify our downtown.”
LoPresti pledged the BID’s support of a private sector project that plans to modernize the infrastructure of and historically restore East and West Parks. “We will look to make it happen,” she said. In closing, she encouraged the audience to frequent each other’s places of businesses. “We are truly blessed to have the merchants, as well as cultural and recreational offerings and eateries, too ... I think there’s a lot of community pride here in Norwich,” she said.
Featured speaker Tim Smith of Tim Smith Consulting in Allentown, Pa. offered a motivational program titled, “Playing the Game of Work.” He said Americans spend more time, money and personal resources pursuing their avocations rather than their vocations.