Hays has Hollywood ties of its own thanks to rich history

In the 1960s fiction writers and movie-makers imagined that life at the beginning of the 21st Century would look like something akin to the “Jetson” cartoon.

People would live in sterile metal buildings in the clouds. Interestingly, as we enter this new century, we find that many of the forecasts of powerful computers, fiber optic communications systems, mobile phones with cameras and incredible medical and other technologies have indeed come about. However, in this complex world, Americans are increasingly choosing ways of living much more like Mayberry U.S.A. than StarTrek.

New very popular planned communities such as Celebration, Fla., include such “revolutionary” ideas as brick streets, shopping, offices and schools within walking distances of neighborhoods, narrow streets with wide sidewalks and walking paths, soda shops and outside dining and landscaping that grandma would have liked. Developers are trying to recreate places like this. In Hays, Kan., we live in the real thing.

In an age when created heroes seem to come and go with the movie cycle, Americans are increasingly interested in heritage and discovering real heroes. Heroes who are capturing attention include explorers, settlers, immigrants, Native Americans, missionaries, teachers, inventers, business people and great-great-grandparents who were tough enough to survive in a dugout and to hew 200-pound fence posts out of solid rock.

Hollywood is trying to create these characters.

They really existed and lived in western Kansas.

Downtown Hays — built on the crossroads of the Union Pacific Railroad and Chestnut Street is a place of immense history.

From its first days as a military outpost and as a railroad town to its role as railhead for new immigrants from England, Germany, Russia, Norway, Sweden, Italy, Spain, and scores of other countries, history has happened here. Buffalo hunters, prospectors, English gentry, and German/Russian farmers were among the earlier shoppers.

Bootleggers and prohibitionists, prostitutes and nuns, scam artists and merchants, successful visionaries and entrepreneurs, and failed schemers have all had active roles in Historic Downtown Hays. The first arts council in Kansas began in downtown Hays. Hays has a long history of art and artists that outshines many larger cities.

The challenge and opportunity for Hays, the surrounding region and even the state of Kansas is to take advantage of this mixture of existing downtown buildings, history, and entrepreneurial and creative talent located in Hays, Kan., and to make the magic work. Downtown has always had community volunteers and civic leaders.

Today, the Downtown Hays Development Corporation is the non-profit organization created by the city of Hays, the Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development and the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce to lead downtown redevelopment efforts.

The DHDC was created in 2001 and since that time, it has led the adoption of the Neighborhood Revitalization Act —an incentive system that provides property tax rewards for investment in the central business district, the Façade Loan Program and the Design Assistance Program that assists owners with renovating the exterior of buildings.

It has worked with multiple property owners on projects and has built a partnership with a developer who, in exchange for the deeding of six aging buildings, agreed to renovate those building as a critical mass to incite other renovation and investment.

Other major civic innovations have added greatly to downtown revitalization efforts.

The Hays Public Library's renovation and expansion and the Hays Aquatic Park construction have provided excellent magnets for downtown traffic.

Festivals and activities are bringing people to the core of the city. Wild West Festival, FrostFest, Spring Block Party, Bluegrass Block Party and Oktoberfest as well as many other events are being held in downtown Hays.

In 2005 the Downtown Hays Development Corporation intends to move forward on several fronts.

These include physical improvement plan funding and implementation, seeking improvements in signage to and in downtown, examining the implementation of a historic building code that may provide flexibility in renovation of older buildings, weighing creation of a historic district for preservation and state and federal tax credits, continued marketing and promotion of downtown and installation of a sound system.

Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers that serve on the board of directors, committees and task forces.

The DHDC always welcomes new volunteers.

If you are interested in assisting with downtown revitalization efforts, please contact Coordinator Sabrina William at (785) 628-8201.

Mark Bannister is president of the Downtown Hays Development Corporation.