NORTHAMPTON — Though 14 days remain on the online crowdfunding campaign to build a “parklet” within Crackerbarrel Alley, the city reached its goal and on Thursday signed a contract to receive a matching grant from MassDevelopment.
Planning and Sustainability Director Wayne Feiden created the crowdfunding page, which received $10,100 as of deadline. He said MassDevelopment, the state’s economic development and finance agency, committed to $10,000 in matching funds that bring the project’s budget to around $20,000.
When the project comes to fruition, the downtown alley that connects Main Street with the Masonic Street parking lot will get an overhaul — tables, chairs, benches and plants. Considering the many coffee shops in the vicinity, Feiden said, it could serve as a nice alcove for the community to enjoy downtown delights.
Feiden said Friday the project will begin in the coming weeks with a temporary parklet, or mini park, that the city will construct along Main Street in front of the alleyway. A Smith College landscape studies class is helping Feiden brainstorm the space’s possibilities. He said final designs will be drafted over the winter.
“That parklet, when it arrives, will help people visualize what we’re trying to do,” Feiden said.
He said the online campaign was not only success in terms of the bottom line, but also in that it brought the community together around one specific idea.
“Obviously we had a cash goal, but we also just wanted as many people to participate as possible,” he said. “I think the process itself engaged people and that’s really important.”
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@gazettenet.com.