Lately, galas and openings increasingly share calendar space with the many, many meetings attended by Nancy Richards, who's been with the Village of Catskill for 17 years and is currently community development coordinator, point person for parks and recreation, and secretary to the planning and zoning department.
"Tonight we're celebrating a Main Street garage turning into an event space," she says. "We just had a groundbreaking for the American Dance Institute; they're taking over Dunn's lumberyard. The Bridge Street Theatre is running a full season. We have new restaurants, new artists coming in, shops opening."
So what finally tipped the balance in this pretty little burg? "I think we finally got everyone on the same page," she says, "from the garden club to the economic development people. It takes a collaborative approach. It's happening. You can see the difference in the number of people cleaning their yards and planting gardens."
