BRATTLEBORO — Parks and Plazas, Inc., a local nonprofit organization committed to transforming in-town outdoor spaces into productive community gathering places, announced an award in the amount of $20,000 from the Thomas Thompson Trust for the reinvention of Harmony Place in downtown Brattleboro.
“We are extremely grateful to the Thompson Trust for their generosity and for understanding the potential of Harmony Place,” said Parks and Plazas President Michelle Simpson-Siegel in a news release. “This is a big step toward meeting a challenge match of $100,000 already received from community leaders.”
Harmony Place was the site of a successful ukulele flash mob last month. It has also become the downtown location for Anon's Thai Cuisine on Wednesdays through October.
According to Simpson-Siegel, “Pop-up events and other activities this season are a way to try out how Harmony Place can benefit all of downtown. Our interest is not only in entertainment, but also in finding ways to bolster the economy. An attractive, in-town, pedestrian-friendly space will boost activity and hopefully have a positive impact on business.”
Harmony Place is part of The Brooks House campus, which reopened in 2014 after the block was ravaged by fire in 2011. A fundraising drive is underway to meet the $100,000 challenge.