New Vision Downtown Lampasas! chairman relishes task at hand
By LISA CARNLEY Staff Writer

PHOTO BY GABE WOLF Amanda Wade heads up the revitalization efforts as the group continues its push for positive changes in the community.

Amanda Wade may not have been born in Lampasas, but this community is home now, and she and her husband, Johnny, will continue to push for revitalization of the downtown area.

As the new chairman of Vision Downtown Lampasas!, Mrs. Wade joins a host of others putting their time and talents to good use to promote the city's historical district.

After a recent kickoff event at Mesquite Creek -- a reception hall she and her husband purchased and recently renovated -- the large turnout showed Mrs. Wade that people have taken the future of their small town to heart.

The Wades got involved with VDL! even before they became downtown business owners, after they purchased the family ranch -- now the third generation to live there. "You don't just build a home on your land and move on," Mrs. Wade said. "This is where we plan to stay. My husband is from here, and we have made a commitment to be in Lampasas."

The couple also have purchased Lampasas Hardware from its longtime owners, the Berrys, and plan to

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"We want a voice and opinion in which way Lampasas moves. This is where we plan to be for the rest of our lives."

At her first glimpse of the downtown area, Mrs. Wade noted that revitalization would make it more viable to the community and its residents.

"There is a good plan developed for the area, and it doesn't just encompass Courtyard Square. It spreads to various parts of the community, but it is all connected because it is all part of the same community," she said.

She sees clearing alleyways as a good beginning for revamping the area. "They serve as a walkway through the community. Some of the most valuable property in a community is its alleyways. There's no reason we can't take pride in how they look. They connect everything."

Mrs. Wade said staying focused on the committee's vision created by the task force last year is vital to its success. "We will just add to that and keep the vision going. There are a lot of plans, and it will take a lot of money and volunteers, but we are off to a good start."

The committee's early goal is to complete the plan's first-year projects, which include gateways to the downtown area. "We hope with funding we can start on that soon." The project is in the design phase before it moves to funding and the right of way acquisition process, since some of the land is on a state-owned highway.

The Design Committee is working with a landscape architect to create ideas for the gateways, which are slated to be placed at Fourth Street, Western, Second and Third streets. "The number all depends on how successful our fundraising is," Mrs. Wade said.

Some cities the committee looked at have gateways that cost as much as $60,000 apiece. "That's something I'd like to avoid. I don't think that is a good use of our resources."

The committee head said she would like to involve local craftsmen who might donate time and materials to the project.

To raise funds, a membership drive is under way, and Mrs. Wade is encouraging individual fundraising events.

"It is a very promising project, and there are a lot of people putting in a lot of hard work to make this vision real," she said. "I think many people are shocked at just how many really are interested and want to be involved in this. The ones we see working the hardest are the ones who show the area is important to them."

It's not just business owners either, Mrs. Wade added. "They come from all walks of life. There is a core group of people who have very strong feelings about Lampasas, and I see this group as taking it and making it work."

The city had good progress about two decades ago with its successful Main Street program, Mrs. Wade noted. "But when the program stopped, progress came to a screeching halt. We want to see that progress again."

Though there won't be a fulltime Main Street coordinator as there was previously, Julie Johncox -- a consultant from Fort Worth who has been working with VDL! -- will continue on in an advisory capacity. Much of the remaining work will be left in the hands of volunteers.

"All of our volunteers say they would love to have a program coordinator like there was with Main Street. Without someone in that position, we will just continue to do what we can, mainly because we don't have the funding to provide one."

Vision Downtown Lampasas! is a task force of the Lampasas Economic Development Corp., a nonprofit organization.

"We are hoping the public will not only continue providing volunteerism, but funding support, as well," said Mrs. Wade. "There are a lot of issues people want to see addressed."

The committee chairman said she would like to see the city's springs re-opened. "That should fit in with the downtown plan and historic aspect, and bring people to the area.

"The springs are one of our best resources, and Lampasas is known for them. It is a uniqueness we have going for us, and we should utilize it."

Anyone interested in supporting VDL! may contact Mrs. Wade at Lampasas Hardware, Jim Rutland at Rutland's Fashion and Western Wear, or any of the other committee members.