Although relatively new to the city, The Heart of Pell City Downtown Revitalization has seized momentum from a growing membership and appears poised to create a wealth of positive development in the community.

Founded through collaboration among several business owners on Cogswell Avenue, the group has transformed from a small collection of concerned citizens into a volunteer movement over the course of 2016, and organizers have no plans of slowing down.

The Heart of Pell City is led by Antebellum Anne’s owner Beth Hoyle Waggoner, and the group’s excitement for aesthetic and cultural improvements in Pell City has attracted a growing number of supporters. It seems that each new face who joins in the effort brings a dozen new ideas for ways to increase community involvement and bring attention to the town. They’re planning events, creating branding campaigns, growing gardens and painting murals – and to Waggoner, that’s just the beginning.

“We’re starting a conversation that we believe will transform not only downtown Pell City but the entire community,” she said.

The Heart of Pell City has applied for 501(c)3 nonprofit status to assist with organization and to help secure funding for its projects. It also has a Facebook page with more than 1,100 members that are following its developments, and there are quite a few in the works. Join the group to learn more or volunteer in revitalization projects. If you’re interested in lending a hand, visit facebook.com/groups/heartofpellcity, theheartofpellcity.org or email info@theheartofpellcity.org.

Here’s what the group is already working on for 2016: 

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Inaugural Walking Tour of Historic Downtown

Details: April 9, 16, 23, 30 – 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (one hour tours) – Pell City Public Library

Get Involved: A participants meeting will be held April 1, and a volunteer cleanup of downtown will take place April 2

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The State Department of Tourism promoted walking tours last year in more than 20 historic downtowns, and the Heart of Pell City has organized them locally for 2016. Tours will tentatively be led by members of the Pell City Players who will be able to provide details of the historic buildings along the route. They will begin at the Pell City Library and travel to Cogswell Avenue, stopping at Amy’s of Pell City, The Foundry, Artistic Creations, Lilly Designs, Artscapes Council of the Arts, Merle Norman and Antebellum Anne’s.

Carriage rides, sponsored by the Pell City Chamber of Commerce, will also be available to tour the Historic Residential District. The hour-long tours will continue every hour from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

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Artisan Alley

Details: Farmers Market – May 28-Summer 2016 (Tentative) – 9 a.m.-1 p.m. – Alley north of Cogswell Avenue

Get Involved: Contact the Heart of Pell City for volunteer opportunities

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Behind historic Cogswell Avenue, is an alley that’s out of the public eye and is barely used. The Heart of Pell City is working to transform it into an attraction for both residents and visitors alike.

The group will start in the coming weeks with a local artist painting a mural of angel wings on the back of one of the buildings, which she said she hopes will attract people to the site for photographs and provide branding for downtown. Then, working with Pell City’s Gateway Garden, another local volunteer organization, the Heart of Pell City will plant a culinary herb garden in back and replant green spaces in front of the buildings with oak leaf hydrangeas.

Finally, after graveling or paving the alley, the group aims to launch a farmers market in the space beginning Memorial Day weekend 2016.

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Puppies on Parade

Details: July 2 – Downtown Pell City

Get Involved: Volunteers are needed to handle and train animals for the event. The group is also in initial stages of planning for vendors.

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Puppies on Parade is in the early stages of development, but The Heart of Pell City sees the event as a way to annually assist the Friends of the Pell City Animal Shelter in adoptions while providing a fun, family-friendly event for downtown in the summer.

The event would consist of a literal “puppy parade” through the streets where residents could bring their animals and be introduced to many from the animal shelter that need homes of their own. The event is being organized by Susan Ensley of Artistic Creations.

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Avondale Mills Day

Details: End of September 2016 (Tentative)

Get Involved: Contact the Heart of Pell City for volunteer opportunities

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Pell City grew up on the foundation of Avondale Mills, and The Heart of Pell City wants to hold an annual event to celebrate that heritage. The group is in initial planning stages for an event similar to the Block Party, but with an “Old Pollyanna” feel. Organizers are putting together plans for a chili cook-off, jam and jelly tastings, and Gospel singings around the theme of Pell City’s historic industry. Partnerships are also being explored for the venture.

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Avondale Mill Cemetery Tours

Details: October 2016 (Tentative)

Get Involved: The first volunteer cleanup of the Avondale Mill Cemetery in Glenn City will take place April 2.

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Separate from the well-known Avondale Mills property near downtown lies a cemetery where many of its former employees were laid to rest. The group is exploring options for preserving the site, but it plans to clean it up as soon as possible. Volunteers are needed immediately for the effort, which Heart of Pell City member Frank Lee is organizing.

Once the property is cleaned and the Heart of pell City has been approved to take others to it, the group plan to hold historic walking tours of the site during the fall. They are also working with the Glenn City group How Big Can We Get to boost the project.

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For more or to volunteer, visit facebook.com/groups/heartofpellcity, theheartofpellcity.org or email info@theheartofpellcity.org.

Members of The Heart of Pell City Downtown Revitalization stand the space that they hope to transform into Artisan Alley, located behind the historic buildings on Cogswell Avenue. Members will soon paint a mural on the grey wall in the background and plant an herb garden on the concrete slab in the foreground. They plan to launch a farmers market in the area this summer. Pictured from left are Sundi Hawkins, Sue Turton, Beth Hoyle Waggoner, Kristin Entler, Janice Entler, Renee Cramer and Renee Lilly. Photo by Jeff Thompson.

Join The Heart of Pell City Downtown Revitalization. If you’re interested in lending a hand, visit facebook.com/groups/heartofpellcity, theheartofpellcity.org or email info@theheartofpellcity.org.