That cool, refreshing breeze you feel blowing through Rocky Mount might just be the welcome winds of change.

Downtown revitalization, a new pedestrian plan, a slate of new municipal leaders and a developing vision of a historic community’s future have energized Rocky Mount.

“A lot of exciting things are going on here,” says new city manager Charles Penny. “We have an opportunity to bring all segments of our community together to do strategic planning and visioning – to really move the Twin County area forward.”

Downtown Revitalization

Rocky Mount is building on past successes, such as the Imperial Centre for the Arts & Sciences and the renovated Historic Train Station. The rehabilitation of the Douglas Block, which is bringing six buildings back to life in the historic African-American business district, is another. That $8 million project, Penny says, demonstrates the city’s commitment to revitalizing downtown, now enjoying an additional facelift in a $6.5 million Streetscape improvement effort.

“We’re widening streets, improving curb appeal, adding new street lamps, signage, furniture, trees,” Penny says. “In order to attract private investment, the government has to put money into downtown first, and we’re doing that. It shows what you can do.”

Studying the Future

As sidewalks are being widened downtown, the ambitious Rocky Mount Pedestrian Plan is promoting a network of paths, greenways and safe crossings designed to make the community friendlier to those on foot.

While Streetscape unfolds – it is scheduled for completion in late 2012 or early 2013 – ambitious visioning for the entire two-county area is in the works. The Twin Counties Competitiveness Assessment, funded by the Rocky Mount City Council and Edgecombe and Nash counties, was presented in spring 2011. It outlines in detail the community’s strengths and improvements needed for the area to thrive economically in the 21st century. One example is: the importance of preparing students for success in the growing global economy, a critical goal for new Nash Rocky Mount Public Schools superintendent Dr. Anthony Jackson.

Schools Look at the Global Economy

“Our role right now is to prepare our students for their futures, not our past,” he says. “Many of the jobs we are preparing our children for right now don’t even exist. We have a huge responsibility, probably more than any previous generation. We have to embrace the impact of technology, social media, all those things that are changing the way we do business.”

The challenges for Rocky Mount’s new leadership – in addition to Penny and Jackson, the community has recently welcomed fire chief Trey Mayo and interim Edgecombe County Schools Superintendent Dr. Del Burns – are vast. But a collaborative effort by all stakeholders will meet those lofty goals, both Penny and Jackson say.

“In 10 years I see a viable downtown with interesting businesses, restaurants, the arts, more people living downtown, more activity on the streets – people taking advantage of a place that was once hustling and bustling and will be again,” Penny says. “People have to have a desire to see it happen, and I think we do. We have demonstrated that we can work together and make things happen.”