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same old . “ It ’ s more than businesses staying open late . We need to offer something locals don ’ t normally have access to ,” said owner of Cheshire Cat Antiques Russ Quiett .
There are plans to host outdoor movie screenings and to invite non-profits , churches , and school sports teams to set up street raffles , art fairs and mobile gift shops on those late nights .
ADA believes strong community branding is important , and Alpine ’ s culturally unique groups are a vital part of the town ’ s history and future .
The group plans to emphasize local talent by featuring craftsman , like blacksmiths and spur makers , which fill a unique niche in cowboy culture .
“ Every cowboy in this county is an artist , whether they admit it or not ,” Quiett said .
The group is working with City of Alpine to implement improvements laid out in the 2016 City ’ s Vision Plan .
City of Alpine Vision Plan
In 2016 , the results of a professional assessment of Alpine were published through a special program of the Big Bend Region Small Business Development Center ( SBDC ).
SBDC provides no cost one-on-one business advising to the greater Big Bend area , and is conveniently located in Alpine . ( Learn more at sbdc . sulross . edu )
They have helped many local businesses get on their feet by offering business plan and marketing development , financial analyses and a host of other services .
The City of Alpine was able to participate , thanks to the SBDC Rural Business Program , established to provide services to businesses , economic development corporations , communities and local governments .
The 2016 Vision Plan is an 89-page document created by the Center for Urban Planning and Research through the College of Architecture , Planning and Construction out of the University of Texas at San Antonio . It includes data on local demographics , sales and hotel occupancy taxes , geography , and much more .
The Vision Plan reinterprets downtown as a pedestrian-friendly place , with more landscaping , parking accessibility and outdoor art and leisure spaces .
It was created to give city officials a roadmap of high-priority , feasible projects that could be implemented to improve Alpine . It ’ s a good starting point for anyone investing in Alpine , and the City is basing some top improvement goals from the ideas laid out in the plan , including making a centralized arts center , bringing more hotels to downtown , improving historic buildings , and connecting neighborhoods and business districts with better walkways .
City council has been pushing for an increase in beautification projects , and two new murals are commissioned to be added to Alpine ’ s eclectic collection .
A walking path linking neighborhoods to downtown is set to break ground by the end of summer 2017 .
ADA is helping meet Vision Plan goals by adopting Railroad Park at the corner of 5th Street and Holland Ave , across from the Union Pacific and Amtrak railroad station .
Volunteers descended on the park , adding native plants , pruning trees , and uncovering hidden gems , like the cement replica of Texas that had long been covered by soil and leaves .
A vintage train caboose is parked in the park ’ s back corner , and volunteers want to bring its snoozing horn back to life .
“ The city is willing to lease it to someone who wants to put a business in there , and there are a thousand ideas going around on what to do with it ,” said owner of Murphy Street Mercado Nancy Davila . A few ideas included turning it into a stage for community theatre or opening a raspa business .
Railroad Park connects two major corridors
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