Great Little Park on Main Ground Breaking

Downtown Christiansburg, Inc. (DCI), in conjunction with Great Road on Main, will be breaking ground on the first phase of
construction for Great Little Park on Main, located at 100 West Main Street in Christiansburg, Virginia. The groundbreaking
will take place August 30th, 2021 at 5:30pm with members of the community, town of Christiansburg officials, and members
of DCI in attendance.

Community support through The Community Foundation’s Give Local NRV campaign on June 23rd, 2021 played a large role
in the fundraising support that was needed to begin this phase of construction. An event held at the future site of Great Little
Park on Main on June 23rd, 2021 helped to raise $16,000 towards the creation of this public-private park.

The first phase of construction will include removal of an older sidewalk and creation of a new walkway in the center of the
space with a radial concrete pad in the center. Subsequent phases of construction will focus on planting and seating for the
property.

The pocket park will feature outdoor seating and professionally-designed landscaping. The park will be located between the
wings of The Great Road on Main, facing the main road. The space is currently an open area covered in grass and open to
the public.

The selected park design was drawn up by Balzer and Associates in Christiansburg. DCI is a 501c3 non-profit organization,
whose mission supports the revitalization and promotion of downtown Christiansburg as a destination for visitors and
residents as well as a vibrant economic center for businesses.

DCI received a $3,000 grant from Real Action Leadership Learning (Rally) SWVA in August of 2019 in order to seed a
community project. Rally SWVA is building community leadership capacity and reinforcing collaborative, entrepreneurial
communities across the region. A strategy of the Opportunity SWVA initiative, Rally SWVA is an action learning mini-grant
program that engages community leaders to work together to make their community a better place for small businesses.

The selected design uses a radial approach with a plant-lined walkway. It draws users physically and visually to the historic
bell that once hung in the steeple of the church that became the Great Road on Main. Seating opportunities for small groups
near the bell area and a circular walk that surrounds the bell showcase colorful seasonal plantings. The various features will
allow visitors to experience the park from a number of vantage points.

Once the pocket park was chosen as the major objective of the Rally Grant, two surveys were conducted. The first
determined the style, design, and ambiance of the park. The survey showed that respondents wanted seating in a relaxed
and peaceful place that was well-landscaped with a variety of flowers, plants and trees. From that survey, two designs were
drawn and a second survey chose the winning design.

The ambitious design will require more funding. DCI is working on several ideas including commemorative pavers and
sponsorships of plants and fixtures. Those interested in helping to fund, or to help with planting and construction, are urged
to contact DCI through their website, http://www.downtownchristiansburg.org.