Why Visit Vermont Downtowns?
Here are some of the reasons why you'll want to be sure to have at least a couple of downtowns on your list.
Here are some of the reasons why you'll want to be sure to have at least a couple of downtowns on your list.
If, at the end of the day, Vermont begins to look and feel more like the rest of the nation we will undermine our future -- economic and otherwise.
The Preservation Trust of Vermont is committed to spending the next twenty-five years protecting the character of Vermont and strengthening the vitality of our communities. This is not about “pickling” Vermont, it’s about finding smart ways to grow and building on the essential qualities of the state. It’s about being good stewards of the Vermont we cherish.
If Wal-Mart built appropriate scaled stores in downtowns, we all would benefit. Consumers would have access to the nation's largest retailer. We would have a healthy mix of locally owned stores and national chains. Downtowns would be reinvigorated. The trend toward sprawl into the countryside would be reversed. Communities would maintain their tax base. Retail jobs will not be lost.
As special as Vermont is, it is also fragile. Carefully done, we can have growth without spoiling our nest.