2018 Popular Annual Financial Report For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018 | Page 8

Town officials cut the ribbon for the new Town Hall in FY 17-18. The $7.5 million project was funded entirely
by proceeds from the Garner Bond Program, approved by voters in 2013.
FY 2017-18 M ilestones
J uly 2017
Improved Nature, a start-up company that man-
ufactures soy-based meat-substitute products,
began production at its new 30,000-square-foot
facility in Garner. The company expected to hire
30 to 35 employees initially, but employment
at the current facility on Vandora Springs Road
could grow to about 70. Initial investment in the
facility was approximately $3 million. The plant
can produce 10 pounds of meat substitute prod-
uct per minute.
Town of Garner and North Carolina Main Street
& Rural Planning Center—local entrepreneurs
completed renovation of a historic bank build-
ing in downtown Garner and made it home to
Full Bloom Coffee & Craft. It was the first Main
Street Solutions Fund project to be completed in
Wake County. The fund assists planning agencies
and small businesses in downtown revitalization
efforts by creating jobs, funding infrastructure
and rehabilitating buildings.
Town officials cut the ribbon on a new picnic
shelter at Garner Recreational Park. The park has
A ugust
become a focus of community activity in North
With help from a $75,000 grant from the Main Garner with the addition of pop-up markets and
Street Solutions Fund—and a partnership in- a dog park. Both the shelter and dog park were
volving the Downtown Garner Association, funded by the 2013 Garner Bond Program.
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2018 POPULAR ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT