Klamath Falls, Oregon (May 26, 2021) – The Klamath Falls Downtown Association (KFDA) has been designated as an accredited Main Street™ program for meeting rigorous performance standards. Each year, Main Street America and its partners announce the list of accredited programs to recognize their exceptional commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach™.
 
“We are proud to recognize this year’s 889 nationally accredited Main Street programs that have worked tirelessly to advance economic vitality and quality of life in their downtowns and commercial districts,” said Patrice Frey, President & CEO of Main Street America. “During an incredibly challenging year, these programs demonstrated the power of the Main Street movement to drive impressive local recovery efforts, champion small businesses, and foster vibrant downtown districts. I am inspired by their hard work and confident that these accredited communities will continue to help their downtowns flourish in the next stages of recovery.”
 
Klamath Falls City Manager Nathan Cherpeski noted KFDA’s leadership in the revitalization of Downtown Klamath Falls in his praise for the milestone. "The Klamath Falls Downtown Association is a great partner for the City of Klamath Falls.  They are key to our successful downtown.  This recognition is well deserved.  Thanks to KFDA’s hard work and dedication, this achievement is only one of many the future will bring. Well done and congratulations!"
 
In 2020, Main Street America programs generated $4.14 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 4,356 net new businesses, generated 14,988 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 8,488 historic buildings, and clocked 983,702 volunteer hours.
 
Main Street organizations use the Main Street ApproachTM as a basic framework that supports locally customized revitalization through transformational strategies in four interconnected areas – Design, Organization, Promotion, and Economic Vitality. KFDA President Nic Phair noted the importance of the Main Street ApproachTM and how it helps local organizations succeed. “The framework that the Main Street ApproachTM provides has been a useful guiding tool for ways to improve our downtown. The Oregon Main Street staff are amazing to work with and we consider them a key partner.  We are very fortunate to have this symbiotic relationship with Oregon Main Street – along with other Main Street organizations using the same framework – that allows us to give and take from each other to make each of us stronger.”
 
KFDA’s performance is annually evaluated by Oregon Main Street, which works in partnership with Main Street America to identify the local programs that meet 10 national performance standards. Evaluation criteria determines the communities that are building meaningful and sustainable revitalization programs and include standards such as, fostering strong public-private partnerships, documenting programmatic progress, and actively preserving historic buildings.
 
“Our organization has been doing tremendous work on behalf of Downtown Klamath Falls for more than a decade. This national accreditation affirms the impact of the partnerships we’ve leveraged and recognizes the efforts of our board members, volunteers, and downtown stakeholders to build a solid organization that will continue to serve Klamath Falls for decades to come,” said Executive Director Darin Rutledge.
 
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ABOUT KLAMATH FALLS DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION
The Klamath Falls Downtown Association (KFDA) is an accredited member of the national Main Street America program and is a “Performing Main Street” member of the Oregon Main Street network. Among many principles, KFDA believes in downtown revitalization, historic preservation, shopping local and supporting the small businesses that are the cornerstone of our community. Every day we advocate on behalf of downtown businesses, residents, property owners, workers, and visitors so that our rich history is preserved and future generations are proud to call Klamath Falls home. KFDA is supported primarily through donations, local government contracts, and annual support from local businesses. KFDA recognizes the following “Champion” and “Promoter” level supporters for their generous ongoing support: Amerititle, Fisher Nicholson Realty, KLAD 92.5 FM, Klamath County Economic Development Association, Klamath Insurance Center, Oregon Tech, Pacific Power, SmithBates, Bell Hardware, Discover Klamath, Holiday Market, NIS Labs, Rodeos Pizzeria & Saladeria, and The Residences @ 621.
 
 
ABOUT MAIN STREET AMERICA
Main Street America has been helping revitalize older and historic commercial districts for 40 years. Today, it is a network of more than 1,600 neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, who share both a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development Since 1980, communities participating in the program have leveraged more than $89.57 billion in new public and private investment, generated 687,321 net new jobs and 154,435 net new businesses, and rehabilitated more than 303,836 buildings. Main Street America is a program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. For more information, visit www.mainstreet.org.
 

Pedlet Pilot Project Funded by Klamath County Tourism Grant
and Klamath Falls City Parks Scheduled to be Installed at Mermaid Garden Café

​Klamath Falls, OR – May 18, 2021 – Blue Zones Project-Healthy Klamath has been working in collaboration with the City of Klamath Falls and S&S Manufacturing to produce the first pedlet, scheduled to be installed Tuesday, May 18 at Mermaid Garden Café.

​In order to create infrastructure to foster increased walkability and social health in downtown Klamath Falls, Blue Zones Project applied for funding through the Klamath County Tourism grant and partnered with the City of Klamath Falls Parks Department. As one of the awarded projects, both agencies have been working with S & S Manufacturing to build a pedlet. A pedlet is designed similar to a boardwalk that connects to the sidewalk and provides a diversion around customers enjoying the outdoor space.

Locally, the pedlet will serve as a seasonal structure that adds a thoroughfare for downtown pedestrian, to be extended around outdoor dining and retail spaces in front of businesses. Pedlets have been a unique way of expanding businesses without compromising ADA accessibility, sidewalk access, or the businesses being able to easily access customers. In recent years, other communities have implemented similar projects to help create more vibrant outdoor spaces and increase business for participating retailers and restaurants.

With collaboration from the City of Klamath Falls and Klamath Falls Downtown Association; the Blue Zones Project Built Environment Committee has been working to fund a pilot prototype pedlet that will be mobile, versatile, easy to assemble, store, and disassemble. In working with S&S Manufacturing a prototype has been constructed with an aluminum foundation and Trex decking to create a safe, durable structure.

​The structure is scheduled to be installed May 18th at Mermaid Garden Café. After extensive research and piqued interest from the beginning, Mermaid Garden Café was chosen as the pilot location due to their engagement and investment in the project. Since the first pedlet is a pilot project, the funding structure is different, to gauge interest and success of the prototype. After manufacturing, the pedlet will be the property of the City of Klamath Falls and will be a part of a pedlet/parklet Program they are developing. In the near future we hope to have additional pedlets installed at more businesses. If you are interested in learning more about pedlets and built environment, please reach out to Kelsey Mueller at [email protected] or to learn more about the downtown pedlet/parklet program, Kristina Mainwaring at the City of Klamath Falls ([email protected]).

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About the Blue Zones Project
​
Blue Zones Project® is a community-led well-being improvement initiative designed to make healthy choices easier through permanent changes to a city's environment, policy, and social networks.

Established in 2010, Blue Zones Project is based on research by Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Fellow and New York Times best-selling author who identified five cultures of the world—or blue zones—with the highest concentration of people living to 100 years or older. Blue Zones Project incorporates Buettner's findings and works with cities to implement policies and programs that will move a community toward optimal health and well-being. Currently, 56 communities across North America have joined Blue Zones Project, impacting more than 3.8 million citizens. The population health solution includes two Health Districts in California; 15 cities in Iowa; Albert Lea, Minnesota; the city of Fort
Worth, Texas; Corry, Pennsylvania; Brevard, North Carolina; the Walla Walla Valley in Washington; and communities in Southwest Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Wisconsin. Blue Zones Project is brought to Klamath Falls with support from Sky Lakes Medical Center, Klamath County, City of Klamath Falls, and Cascade Health Alliance, in partnership with Sharecare, Inc. and Blue Zones, LLC. For more information, visit bluezonesproject.com.

Klamath Falls is Oregon’s first Blue Zones Project Demonstration Community. To learn more about Blue Zones Project, contact the Blue Zones Project team in Klamath Falls at
[email protected], or visit www.healthyklamath.org/bluezones.