Nov/Dec Downtown Developments Newsletter 2010

Christopher Pop-In-Kins pops-in again for a very special anniversary extravaganza!

2010 Downtown Event Schedule Downtown Canton’s streetscape comes alive with fun festivals!

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anta’s very first Children’s Elf is popping back into downtown Canton for a magical, musical, holiday jamboree and ELFstravaganza on Dec. 2! And

there is certainly something to celebrate this year as Light Up Downtown celebrates 20 years in the extravaganza business and Christopher himself celebrates 25 years of entertaining children around the globe!

Your kids will be delighted as they journey with Christopher Pop-In-Kins through the winter-wonderful North Pole – brought to life on the main stage at Central Plaza – to report to Santa about his adventures while popping in on children around the world!

First Friday of every month

Thursday, December 2

Saturday, December 11 Mark your calendar and plan to atte n d !

You’ll help Christopher search for the man in red all around town, and meet-up with merry musical helpers along the way. With Christopher poppin’ up at Light Up Downtown there’s sure to be fun croppin’ up around every corner.

20 Wonderful Years of Holiday Hoopla!

The 20th anniversary of the Canton Regional Chamber’s downtown family-favorite is sponsored by KeyBank. Light Up is your ticket to 16 city blocks alive with attractions, entertainment, refreshments and fun around every corner for the kids from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

This year’s Light Up will feature Christopher Pop-In-Kins, every child’s favorite elf, in a very special musical main stage show that will light up the skies and light up your spirits with community musical acts, fantastic fireworks and a ho, ho, ho-liday visit from Santa. You’re in for a night of surprises and fun for all ages! Best of all?

This festive festival is FREE! (continued on page 7)

PARTNERSHIP REPORT BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT SPECIAL FEATURES • Light Up Downtown • First Friday Tidbits • Downtown Church Tour • SID Annual Meeting • The Sky is the Limit Mural • The Polar Express • Neighborhood Plan WHATWHEREWHEN

First Friday ‘Tidbits’ New talent to head First Friday planning Marci Lynn Saling, previously the downtown events manager for the Canton Regional Chamber, has taken her incredible event planning talents to ArtsinStark, where she will now helm planning for the monthly First Friday festival in downtown Canton. As the new Community Arts Manager for ArtsinStark, Saling will be your first contact for all things First Friday. She can be reached at marci@artsinstark.com.

“First Friday continues to be a very strong, creative partnership between the Downtown Canton Special Improvement District and ArtsinStark, The County Arts Council. We are very excited to concentrate the planning efforts and to have Marci on board for event management – she will bring a great deal of expertise and excitement to our event.” said Kelly Bah, project manager for the SID.

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Downtown Developments is published bi-monthly by Canton Development Partnership, a department of Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with Downtown Canton Special Improvement District

by Michael P. Gill, director, Canton Development Partnership

Partnership Report As we close in on year end 2010, it is appropriate to mention that it has been another good year for our downtown, despite a challenging economy. Capital investments continued in 2010, with the most notable being the new Ralph Regula Federal Building. This building is destined to create a positive halo effect in the neighborhood. The Brownstone Steakhouse and Thatsa Wrapp restau222 Market Ave. N. Canton, OH 44702 (330) 456-0468 fax (330) 452-7786 cdp@cantonchamber.org www.DowntownCanton.com

Dennis P. Saunier President & CEO Michael P. Gill Director Kelly Blandford Bah Project Manager Annette Rosenberger Administrative Assistant Denise Burton Membership Director Jessica Bennett Marketing Director & Editor Sarah Bhatia Graphic Designer

The Canton Development Part n e rship is a coalition of area development organizations and city g ove rn m en t that share an interest in downtown C a n ton’s continual imp rovement, revitalization, image, and quality of life for its citizens.

Its mission is to support and coordinate the activities and programs of its partner organizations in order to encourage and sustain community and economic development in downtown Canton.

The partnering organizations include: Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Canton Special Improvement District, Downtown Canton Land Bank, Canton Tomorrow, Inc., and City of Canton.

Information regarding downtown events and news can be submitted for reprint at the discretion of the Partnership director and publication editor.

The Canton Development Partnership reserves the right to edit all copy. Deadlines are the 15th of the month, two months prior to publication (i.e., May 15 for the July/August issue).

Statements of fact and opinion within Downtown Developments are the responsibility of the authors alone and do not imply the opinion of the members of Canton Development Partnership or its partnering organizations.

Advertising rates and specifications are available by contacting the Chamber sales department at (330) 458-2067.

rants opened their doors for business this year.

The arts continue to flourish in our center city, as Robb Hankins and ArtsinStark search for new ways to incorporate the arts downtown. Canton Glass Works (master glass artist John Boyett) and Elemental Arts (the furniture of artist John Strauss) have opened for business and have brought two previously vacant buildings back to life.

Another important achievement for our city in 2010 has been the development of a Neighborhood Plan by the City of Canton and its consultant, David Boehlke. This plan will provide action steps to stabilize and enhance our neighborhoods. A strong and sustainable downtown benefits from stable areas around its core. You can read more about this plan on page six of this issue of Downtown Developments.

high quality entertainment and bring more people downtown than ever before. Responsibility for the management and operation of these events in the future will be shifted to the Canton D evelopment Pa rtnership. The Dow n tow n Partnership looks forward to accepting these responsibilities and we want to assure everyone that we will continue to strive to produce incredible events that truly make our downtown venues come to life.

Thanks to all of the boards and committees that worked so hard this year to make things happen downtown. We look forward to planning for 2011 so that we can continue the revitalization and exc i tement happening in Downtown Canton.

Finally, the five major Chamber events, Zing in the City, Taste of Canton, Canton Blues Festival, Vintage Canton and Light Up Downtown continue to offer

Tidbits ...

One leaf, two leaf, old leaf, new leaf! At the Fall for the Arts First Friday on November 5, you’ll fall head over heels for all things art as downtown gets set for autumn with eclectic music, exquisite art, fine dining and more. Visit the galleries and studios downtown and you’ll be falling for First Friday and standing up for the arts.

You may be ready for fall now, but how about a North Pole Stroll for the December 3 First Friday Snow or not, there will be a blizzard sounds, sights and shopping. Carolers delight, art astounds and you might even be in for a surprise visit from the big man in red! Wrap up all of your holiday shopping

with gifts from the Canton Arts District at the North Pole Stroll.

First Friday is celebrated every first Friday of the month from 6 to 10 p.m. in downtown Canton. First Friday is presented by ArtsinStark, the County Arts Council, and the Downtown Canton Special Improvement District.

For the most up-to-date First Friday information, visit www.DowntownCanton.com and click on the First Friday logo.

3 Subway 217 Market Ave. N. • Canton, Ohio 44702 Hours and Information: www.Subway.com

All Ab o a rd! The Polar Expre s s ch u g ga - ch u g s i n to Canto n

New Subway® coming to Downtown Canton Need a quick bite or something delicious to take back to the office? SUBWAY® is coming to downtown Canton in December 2010. The new restaurant, located at 217 Market Ave. N (the space previously occupied by Quiznos) will feature Tuscany décor and the famous submarine sandwiches loved the world over!

The SUBWAY chain is famous for its made-to-order footlong and 6-inch submarine sandwiches.

Sandwiches are served on Italian, wheat and a variety of seasoned breads that are baked fresh daily in each restaurant. Hot toasted and cold subs a re available, with an assortment of meats, cheeses, vegetables and condiments, all made-toorder per customer request. The SUBWAY chain’s “Under 6” menu features sub sandwiches with 6 grams of fat or less, while exclusively prepared gourmet-inspired sauces can be used to complement any sandwich on the menu.

“I am excited to be able to bring Subway’s delicious, fresh products to the people of Canton,” said Joe Maiorana, regional director for J&K Subway Inc. and owner of the new sandwich shop. “I look forward to meeting the residents and invite everyone to stop by and try our world-famous submarine sandwiches.”

J&K Subway Inc. has been operating Subway restaurants for 24 years and Maiorana has been with the company for 23 of those 24 years.

The SUBWAY chain was founded in 1965 in Bridgeport, Conn., by then 17 - year-old Fred DeLuca, with a $1,000 loan from family friend, Dr. Peter Buck. Today, the SUBWAY chain is the world’s largest submarine sandwich franchise, with more than 33,586* locations in 92* countries.

Re c e n t ly, the SUBWAY chain surpassed McDonald’s in the number of restaurants open in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The SUBWAY chain was named the number one franchise opportunity in all categories by Entrepreneur magazine in its Annual Franchise 500 ranking for 2010 — for the 17th time in 23 years!

For more information about SUBWAY visit www.subway.com.

SUBWAY® is a registered trademark of Doctor’s Associates Inc. (DAI).

The Canton Polar ExpressTM, operated by the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (CVSR), kicks off Friday, Nov. 19, and runs until Saturday, Dec. 18. The holiday favorite is chugging into town on weekends in November (excluding Sundays) and Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays in December. Boarding begins at 6 p.m. and all trains leave promptly at 7 p.m. for a two-hour roundtrip ride.

The CVSR is seeking volunteers to spread holiday cheer aboard the Canton Polar Express. Volunteers are needed for departure from the Canton Lincoln Highway Station. Volunteers will help with reading the story, assist in creating a festive atmosphere for all to enjoy, serving hot cocoa and cookies and assisting Santa at the North Pole.

Volunteers for the Canton Polar Express should plan to attend the registration and training session at John Knox Presbyterian Church, located at 5155 Eastlake Street NW in North Canton, on Saturday, Nov. 6, at 11 a.m. Interested individuals should contact Whitney J. Prather at (800) 468-4070 ext. 235 or wprather@cvsr.com.

This holiday program is based on Chris Van Alsburg’s enchanting book, The Polar Express, where a young boy’s trip to the North Pole revives his belief in the Christmas spirit. Children (and adults!) are encouraged to come ready to ride in their pajamas.

Tickets to this enchanting family trip are available online at www.CVSR.com.

About Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad CVSR is a non-profit, 501(c)3 working in partnership with Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and is dedicated to the preservation of passenger rail transportation in Cuyahoga Valley and the historic Ohio & Erie Canalway.

WELCOME THE LIGHT! A Downtown Church Tour

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n Saturday, Dec. 11 from 5 to 8 p.m., downtown Canton churches will again open their doors for the third annual “Welcome the Light” celebration.

Downtown Canton churches will welcome everyone to celebrate the history, architecture, tradition and holiday spirit of these sacred spaces. This unique celebration will include a variety of activities including luminaries, choir perfo rmances, Christmas decorations, architecture and history tours, stained glass window illumination, cultural activities, children’s crafts, modern and traditional music and refreshments.

You’ll learn a little bit about our history while touring beautiful houses of worship. Let the magic of the season enchant you with twinkling lights and crisp night air, and the scenes and sounds of the holiday.

Special activities will engage folks of all ages, as they celebrate the holidays and become part of a newer Canton tradition.

This celebration is open for everyone! Maps with driving and walking tour information, and parking details will be available at various downtown businesses and at the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, and online at www.DowntownCanton.com.

Special Improvement District Annual Meeting The Downtown Canton Special Improvement District (SID) annual meeting will take place on Thursday, Nov. 18, at 4 p.m. at the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce. This meeting will include a review of 2010, the election of board members and the presentation of SID annual awards, which recognize projects and investments in downtown Canton.

All property owners in the SID, as well as members of the public, are welcome to attend the meeting to learn about downtown projects and to network with fellow property owners, downtown supporters and business owners. Please RSVP by calling Annette Rosenberger at (330) 458-2092.

The SID is a non-profit corporation that provides programming to preserve the economic well-being of downtown Canton. It is dedicated to preserving the aesthetic, architectural and historic character of the downtown area and is funded by special assessments on downtown property owners. Boundaries of the district generally are Ninth Street on the south, 12th Street on the north, Savannah Avenue on the east and High Avenue on the west.

New mural shows students at Timken that the SKY IS THE LIMIT! He’s at it again! Local artist Joseph Close has created a new mural to go on the Timken Campus skywalk at the corner of McKinley and Tuscarawas St. NW. Sponsored by Aultman Health Foundation, the mural, The Sky is the Limit, captures all the wonderful educational experiences students achieve while attending Timken High School.

“This piece was logistically challenging. It’s up in the air – way up!” said Close of the project.

An avid contributor to student-artist collaborations, Close is no stranger to working with students from Timken High School, having participated in “Administrator for a Day” programs at the school and working with the students through Illuminarts.

The mural spans an impressive 40 feet, with an emblazoned Trojan mascot at its center.

Various aspects of student culture are depicted – from theatre and dance, the arts and musical explorations, to sports programs, as well as educational opportunities unique to Timken High, like the engineering program, robotics and culinary arts – in Close’s distinctive style.

The mural is constructed from corrugated steel building materials and a steel frame. And Close had the opportunity to experiment with a new artistic medium - spray paint! Through a complex series of layered stencils and spray paint, the project took a took more than 6 weeks to create.

Close is well known for his Gaia’s Hope mural that hangs along Court Avenue in downtown Canton along with many other projects.

“Timken wanted a work of art that would demonstrate all of the wonderful things the school has to offer its students. I wanted this piece to have a serious tone, and I think

there’s a certain intensity to each of the characters. It shows each student at the peak of their performance, the top of their game. It’s a powerful message,” said the artist.

A dedication ceremony for the impressive work will be hosted at the November First Friday fest i val in dow n town Canton on November 5. For more information, visit www.ArtsinStark.com.

Photo Caption: Artist Joseph Close with one panel of his The Sky is the Limit mural, debuting this fall.

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Canton’s Neighborhood Workbook published by nationallyrecognized neighborhood strategist

N

ational Neighborhood Strategist David

Boehlke

returned

to

Canton on Sept. 28 to present his “Canton

Boehlke provided advice and encouragement to the Canton community on how best to stabilize the area.

That work led to the City of Canton requesting the CBP and Boehlke to collaborate on a series of action-oriented neighborhood plans to help guide our community’s efforts.

Neighborhood Project,” a series of 15 neighborhood renewal work plans developed for the Community Building Partnership of Stark County on behalf of the City of Canton.

The Community Building Partnership (CBP) is Stark County’s community development intermediary, dedicated to the renewal of the City’s neighborhoods. As part of its role as community advisor, the CBP along with the Stark Community Foundation and the Canton Development Partnership, sponsored a 2-year community discussion on how best to renew Canton’s neighborhoods and the downtown area.

Beginning in Sept. 2008 and culminating with a weeklong visit to Sta rk County in April 2009,

Over 75 community and neighborhood leaders heard Boehlke describe how his “Healthy Neighborhood” approach could be implemented in specific ways in our specific neighborhoods. The Healthy Neighborhood approach prioritizes working from existing assets and strategically looks for ways to improve neighborhood image, real estate values and physical conditions by increasing resident participation. As part of Boehlke’s work, he authored “The Canton Neighborhood Workbook,” a manual of his approach tailored for all of Canton’s neighborhoods.

Boehlke suggested to community funders and city officials that there is a direct parallel between today’s opportunities to commit to neighborhood renewal through these Neighborhood Work plans and the way that past community leaders committed to the City’s downtown Master Plan.

Boehlke stated that the commitment and collaboration that is bearing fruits in Canton’s center city is needed at the neighborhood planning level, too. He pointed to the targeted renewal efforts in the lower tier of Summit Neighborhood, where the nonprofit community development corporation ABCD, Inc. built Wilson Pointe with the assistance of the City, Canton Land Bank and Canton Deve l o p m e n t Partnership, as a prime example of how the neighborhood and downtown communities need to work together. The lower tier of Summit continues to show market recovery with several new businesses, including a sit down restaurant (Thatsa Wrapp), a barber shop and photo studio recently opening.

The overall health of our neighborhoods is an important element in the continued revitalization of our downtown. The “Healthy Neighborhood” approach will engage residents and create a long lasting, positive improvement for our neighborhoods and our center city.

The entire 150 page+ report and workbook is available for download on the Community Building Pa rtnership of Stark County web site: CommunityBuildingPartnership.org.

Light Up Downtown...

More than 100 local performers will take to the stage, performing holiday favorites such as Frosty the Snowman, Little Drummer Boy, Winter Song, I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas, and many more. The event pre-show, sponsored by Mix 94.1, will run from 5:30 to 6 p.m., followed by the main stage show.

You can look forward to singing and local dance troupe performances, children’s crafts and activities and more. The downtown center city is transformed into a winter wonderland for the occasion, and our local businesses will provide activities and refreshments as you take in all the holiday delights our community has to offer.

Donate Hats & Mittens! During the event, the Canton City Fire Department will distribute hats and mittens to children in need. If you would like to donate new children’s hats and mittens, please bring them to one of our donation boxes, located at the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, and other downtown Canton locations, between now and the Light Up event. Visit LightUpDowntown.com for a list of all donation locations.

Light Up Downtown will run until 8:30 p.m. and will be held snow, rain or shine. There will be plenty of free parking, both on-street and in the Timken High School and Stark County District Library parking lots, as well as parking in various decks and lots throughout downtown for a nominal fee.

This year’s Light Up event is chaired for the third year by Kayleigh Kriss, on-air personality for Mix 94.1, with co-chair Char Lautzenheiser, museum director of the Canton Classic Car Museum and a wonderful committee of dedicated volunteers.

Our event sponsors to date include: Key Bank a n d AEP Ohio, along with Aultman Health Foundation, Dow n town Special Improvement District, Motorola, Shearer's Foods, Mix 94.1 and WHBC AM, The Repository, The City of Canton and PPI Graphics.

Visit LightUpDowntown.com for a full schedule of events, free coloring pages for the kids and the more about Christopher PopIn-Kins.

For those looking to double the dose of downtown holiday hoopla, the Dec. 3 First Friday North Pole Stroll will continue the holiday festivities downtown. Visit CantonFirstFriday.com for First Friday details.

About Christopher Pop-In-KinsTM and Imaginatives® Christopher PopIn-Kins, written and published in 1985 by Flora Johnson of Atwater, Ohio, is the award winning story of Santa’s “very first Children’s Elf.” I m a g i n a t i ves is the cre a t i ve team behind Christopher Pop-In-Kins.

Located in Alliance, Ohio, Imaginatives specializes in the development, marketing and distribution of children’s books and toys.

For more information, visit Christopher Pop-In-Kins online at www.ChristopherPopInKins.com.

LIGHT UP SPONSORS TO DATE:

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Want to advertise here? Contact Denise Burton, 330.458.2067.

Cost is $75 per issue.

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NOVEMBER 4th Annual Arts Awards Cultural Center for the Arts www.artsinstark.com Red Rock Rondo 2nd April Galerie www.secondapril.org First Friday – Fall for the Arts Canton Arts District www.cantonfirstfriday.com Book signing for A Secret Gift

by Ted Gup Canton Palace Theatre www.cantonpalacetheatre.org Scared Scriptless Improv Comedy 2nd April Galerie www.secondapril.org Oliver!

Players Guild Theatre www.playersguildtheatre.com HABITAT: From the Files of Sir Steph(ven) Aronhalt Mulligan www.andersoncreativestudio.com 3 Stooges Film Festival Canton Palace Theatre www.cantonpalacetheatre.org Fine Wednesday Wine Joseph Saxton Gallery of Photography www.josephsaxton.com Red Cross BASH 2010 Alex Krassas Event Center www.stark.redcross.org Christkindl Markt Canton Museum of Art www.cantonart.org Old Fashioned Canton Christmas Canton Palace Theatre www.cantonpalacetheatre.org Watts and Rachmaninoff KeyBank MasterWorks Series Canton Symphony Orchestra www.cantonsymphony.org Soup at Six—Letters Home: Stories from the Front McKinley Presidential Library and Museum www.mckinleymuseum.org

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Mike Albert and the Big E Band Canton Palace Theatre www.cantonpalacetheatre.org Stark Arthology Book Launch Party & Exhibit Canton Museum of Art www.cantonart.org LIGHTS: Journey a Concert Reenactment Canton Palace Theatre www.cantonpalacetheatre.org Free Documentary Film Joseph Saxton Gallery of Photography www.josephsaxton.com (thru March 6) Dean Mitchell exhibit Canton Museum of Art www.cantonart.org DECEMBER Light Up Downtown Downtown Canton www.cantonchamber.org First Friday – North Poll Stroll Canton Arts District www.cantonfirstfriday.com Holiday Open House Exhibit Opening— White House Gardens McKinley Presidential Library and Museum www.mckinleymuseum.org A Christmas Carol the new musical Players Guild Theatre www.playersguildtheatre.com (thru Jan 1) IN THEIR SHOES Anderson Creative in Partnership with Stark County MRDD www.andersoncreativestudio.com Dean Mitchell Opening Jazz Event Canton Museum of Art www.cantonart.org Music of the Angels KeyBank MasterWorks Series Canton Symphony Orchestra www.cantonsymphony.org

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Tea with the Curator— Christmas Floral Arranging McKinley Presidential Library and Museum www.mckinleymuseum.org Fine Wednesday Wine Joseph Saxton Gallery of Photography www.josephsaxton.com Holiday Open Hearth Dinner McKinley Presidential Library and Museum www.mckinleymuseum.org The Nutcracker Canton Palace Theatre www.cantonballet.org Welcome the Light A Tour of Downtown Churches Downtown Canton www.downtowncanton.com Holiday Pops Concert Canton Symphony Orchestra www.cantonsymphony.org Gloria in Excelsis Deo About Showcase Series Canton Symphony Orchestra www.cantonsymphony.org Free Documentary Film Joseph Saxton Gallery of Photography www.josephsaxton.com New Years Eve Low Brow Bash Canton Museum of Art www.cantonart.org

For more downtown event information log on to www.DowntownCanton.com