Accomplishments & Impact

Thread City Development Accomplishments and Impact
At the January 18, 2014 workshop, the Impact Team identified TCD sizable accomplishments and impact through the years.

Organization
 Provides an umbrella organization - includes other community organizations, businesses, good gathering of folks, links to partners
 Community events are done together; Thread City Development has wide representation
 Applied for and received various grants
 Created downtown survey and polled what businesses want
 Joined Connecticut Main Street Center and received awards
Economic Enhancement/ Restructure
 Sidewalk sales
 Small business development
 Shop local initiatives
 Helping small business owners get hundreds of thousands of funding
 Brought in historic trust speakers to talk with businesses
 Tied historic development to businesses
Promotion
 Improved the reputation of Willimantic; created a fresh original feeling and attracted people from all over
 Launched Willimanticdowntown.org
 Screen project sponsored in part by TCD - outdoor projections on Main Street in 2011
 Butterfly Garden
 Chocolate Festival
 Social media
 Electronic newsletter
 Brochure
 Promotional pieces
Design
 Lights, displays
 Facade improvements – ripple effect
 Holiday decorations
 Clean ups
 Murals