During this unprecedented time of the global pandemic, we have learned a very valuable lesson–the home is the most treasured place to be, and throughout the state, beautification projects of hometowns are truly becoming a work of heart. Heidelberg is developing into a charming and beautiful town as the community has banded together, working hand in hand to work on local businesses and landscapes throughout the town to bring back the glory, fun, and excitement that embodied the town years ago. The town is already as charming as the streets
A group of devoted citizens, led by Angelia R. Moore, Tamia Taylor, and David Taylor, have helped to spearhead the beautification project to bring pride and community spirit to the picturesque town. It is their hope to bring back some of the memories they shared growing up in Heidelberg for future generations to enjoy. Their goal is to revitalize the town to its glory days and encourage new growth and visitors to the charming town. The project to revitalize the town came from the treasured memories that they shared growing up in Heidelberg and was encouraged by the immense amount of traffic that they saw passing through the town but not stopping. They were even more inspired to become a beautiful destination city once again.
“We have watched at how much traffic comes through the city, but they just keep on going,” David Taylor said. “We want to give them a reason to want to come to Heidelberg. We think that it would be beneficial to everyone. It is our hope that if people stop, then they will shop. That would just be a great asset to the entire community.”
It is also their goal to bring back some of the sweet memories they had while growing up in the small town. With more renovations and beautification, it is their hope to bring back more events to the community.
“We remembered when we were growing up here, there was always something to do or some event going on,” Tamia Taylor said. “We wanted to bring that back to our hometown for everyone to enjoy and to encourage more growth in the future.”
The revitalization process began with some brainstorming, and Angelia R. Moore sent out a few emails to the community and community leaders seeking their insight on the idea. She was blown away with the enthusiasm that she received. The community was extremely excited about the idea, and huge progress is being made in the community.
New businesses are opening up, and the community is helping one another with their projects. The first project was a gym in downtown, and Tamia Taylor has a tutoring center in the works. Volunteers have worked tirelessly to help renovated abandoned buildings and abandoned landscaping. There are plans for even more projects to come, and the excitement is palpable in the air and the community.
“We know it’s going to be a long haul to establish and accomplish our vision of a renewed and growing city, but we are devoted to making that dream come true,” David Taylor said.
It seems that as more momentum has developed, the advantages and support have continued to grow, and that is the key to the success of this project. These plans have brought a very welcome spirit of community and vitality to the area. The group has worked to bring positive change and improvement to the city and its building while still paying homage to its legacy by trying to restore as much of the community’s heritage as possible. It seems that their plans are working very well, and citizens have been grateful for the love they have shown to preserving the city while helping it to continue to prosper.
“We have been amazed by the tremendous response from everyone,” Angelia R. Moore said. “We have had a farmer’s market and have a tentative schedule to have another one soon, hopefully. But the atmosphere and excitement were astounding. We had so many in attendance, and it was so wonderful to see. With the farmer’s market, we had a huge fireworks show and a family movie night downtown. We were so overwhelmed and overjoyed by the attendance to the events and the response from the community.”
Heidelberg’s Juneteenth Celebration was met with a great response as the community celebrated together while still abiding by social distancing ordinances. The community has also worked hard to make sure that everyone in the area has a chance to be a part of future changes and improvements. The city has held a voter registration drive while also protecting the health of the community. Citizens were able to drive up and sign up to vote without ever leaving their vehicles.
There are even more plans for future projects. The vision of the city is to have more events, a splash pad, and more. Heidelberg is welcoming all to visit the city and see the changes that are coming about, and any assistance or helps is always appreciated.
“I have just been blown away by the excitement in the city and the eagerness to help one another,” Moore said. “That truly represents what a community and city should be. Unity is what we need. We are all in this together, and the support and response have been tremendous. It has been a beautiful unifying experience.”
