Marketing Norristown Using the Schuylkill River Trail

Last month, the Schuylkill River Trail was named in the top 10 trails in the country. What led our trail to this recognition is our 200 miles of scenic views, stores along the trail, and the new bike share program. We all know, especially Norristonians, that our portion of the trail can be much better to make us the best.

Each weekend, I bike 20 miles on the trail both ways. Saturday I like to go to Phoenixville and Sunday I go the opposite way to Manayunk. Norristown is smacked right in the middle of these two popular locations, however, we can't seem to get bikers off at our stop.

There are two ways to get off the trail in Norristown, with the third being overgrown(Crawford Park). The first point is at Riverfront Park aka Haws Avenue entrance. This point of our park can be used to support the bikers who need to stop for a break in between stops. Pictured above is a closed store on the trail right above Riverfront Park. It doesn't seem to be listed for sale/lease, however, this is prime real estate for a pub, cafe or quick-service restaurant. If anyone could let me know how I can get in contact with the owner, I'd love to see a community cleanup on this part of the trail and get the ball rolling. Conshohocken Brew Company is in the same situation and was packed with bikers. There was actually a problem with not enough room for additional bikes..which is a good problem for them!

The next stop is the Norristown Transportation Center stop. This area is where our businesses on Main Street and DeKalb can really benefit from the traffic. I encourage businesses to seek approval from zoning to allow A-frame or yard signs at this stop directing bikers to their businesses. Also, bike racks need to become more readily available in these areas. If a business knows parking is difficult in their area, they can look to purchase a bike rack and advertise that they have parking available for bikes. Good quality racks begin around $300, but can pay for itself in months with new business. "If you build it, they will come." Sorry, had to throw in a Field of Dreams reference in! 

Signage is also important to let bikers know "hey, we're open for business!" Getting signs at these openings can drive more revenue to our downtown businesses almost instantly. Riverbend Cycles has capitalized on this easy marketing move. They used a colorful A-frame to let the bikers know there is a shop just for them if they need equipment or repairs while riding. Norristown doesn't have a bike shop near the trail, however, there are some open storefronts on Main Street where one should be. Big hint!

Even if it's an event happening that day or soon, a sign reminds pedestrians to take a brake from the trail and stop by. This Farmers' Market sign was placed right on the trail and there was another sign along the trail that reads "Farmers' Market each Sunday." Simple, yet effective!

It's not too late for us to begin making these adjustments to boost traffic along Main Street. Pictured above is the new Lafayette Street corridor project. Not to sound bias, but this part of the trail is my favorite to drive past because of all the possibilities available when this finally opens. Bike traffic is always heavy on this part of the trail between Norristown and Conshohocken..the trail is also freshly paved! Once motorists begin to use this new portion of Lafayette, we can see some benefit to our businesses nearby. Personally, I would hate to see a billboard here because it will take away from the beauty of the historic buildings and factories. I will say that opening this area should encourage those businesses to clean the back of their properties and put their own sign to let motorists know they're open. It's hard to see in this picture, but there is already a "Welcome to Norristown" sign ready for when this street opens. So as another hint to those businesses with overgrown ivy/weeds on the back of their building...now is the time to start preparing and maximizing your curb appeal.

I would love to hear other suggestions on what needs to happen to bring bikers off the trail. There are also several councils and organizations you can join that focus on finding ways to improve the trail. I attended a few and Norristown is not well-represented. If you have free time, I suggest joining one. You can find out more about different groups working on the trail here.

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Arbor Mews Adds Beauty to DeKalb Street

Photo by: Progressive Housing Ventures

For those living in the area, you have seen Arbor Mews go from an abandoned lot with overgrown weeds and dead trees. Today, the construction project led by Progressive Housing Ventures is now on the final phase and half of the homes are purchased. Today, we will share a quick blog about how these 24 homes can transform this neighborhood.

I don't live in this neighborhood, however, I have been involved with Montgomery County OIC a block away for as long as I can remember. For those who are not familiar with the area or the land where Arbor Mews is located, see the picture below. 

Google Maps image from 2013

This is what commuters and residents saw for decades. The trees were beginning to rot, the temp fence was in bad shape, and it was nothing pretty to stare at.

Photo by: Progressive Housing Ventures

Progressive Housing Ventures who also restored Arbor Heights a few blocks away saw the opportunity to convert this vacant lot into homes that can match the area.

These homes are aimed to attract first-time home buyers and millennials which is me. Speaking as a millennial, these townhouses are a fair price and within biking distance of everything necessary to me. A quick bike ride down Arch (I wouldn't recommend DeKalb) will take you right to the Schuylkill River Trail and Norristown Transportation Center. Or, if you want to catch a Summer concert, bike down Fornance Street and you will be there in 5 minutes. One of Norristown's only grocery stores is located a few blocks away as well as some international restaurants. Did I mention how close you are to the Arts Hill and Courthouse? 

I encourage everyone to stop by their open house and check out the new construction for yourself. The Norristown Project is excited for our new neighbors to move in because we will have a community cleanup not too far away from this location. Stay tuned!

*not a sponsored post*

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Norristown's Summer Concert Series

When is the last time you saw live music? For free? If you can't answer that question, this blog is for you. Norristown has an AMAZING Summer Concert Series featuring live music from local bands and musicians. Did I mention the concert is FREE?

For those who know me know that I am really picky when it comes to which concert I want to go to, pay for, sit through, etc.. What makes me attend a concert is the music(obviously) and the experience. I'm not the one that will go to a concert and sit in the nose bleeds and barely see the artist other than on a jumbo-screen. I like the meet & greet experience, close proximity from the stage and a more relaxed setting. Which is why I chose the concerts at Elmwood Park.

Norristown's own Wildflower performed to a packed crowd last Sunday. Their sets were perfect for all ages. They played popular music from today's artists like Bruno Mars and Pharrell Williams as well as popular old school songs from Earth, Wind & Fire and Michael Jackson. 

Residents of all ages were in attendance, and stayed until the end! The energy from the crowd was great and I was satisfied with the amount of support from the community. Yesterday's weather was also perfect for an outdoor concert, I even rode my bike to the concert!

Next week's concert will be Mark Reno (Elvis Impersonator) beginning at 7pm. Each concert begins at 7 at the park with the exception of Music for Kids Sake at the end of the summer. Here is a list of the rest of the performance schedule:

• JUNE 14 MARK RENO ( ELVIS IMPERSONATOR ) 
• JUNE 21 SOFA KINGS 
• JUNE 28 BEACH BUMZ 
• JULY 4 12:00 - OLD SCHOOL 6:30 - ALLEN REYNOLDS BAND ( fireworks to follow) 
• JULY 13 SKITTY SHOW (A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING) 
• JULY 18 GOSPEL CONCERT 4PM 
• JULY 19 SOUTHERN EDGE 
• JULY 26 BRITISH INVASION (60'S BRITISH/ AMERICAN MUSIC) 
• AUG 2 FLOWER POWER 
• AUG 9 MARK RENO 
• AUG 16 WHERE’S PETE 
• AUG 22 THE ART OF WORSHIP FESTIVAL 2:00 
• AUG 23 SWEET LORETTA FAT (BEATLES) 
• AUG 30 VERDI BAND

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Share Norristown via Yelp!

Occasionally, we like to share different ways to change the image of Norristown. I applaud most businesses in Norristown for sticking around and making our town their home. We have many hidden gems in town when it comes to restaurants and other businesses. Positive reviews go a long way to support smaller businesses against the larger retailers surrounding us. So how can Norristown businesses become more marketable?

The easiest way for businesses to spread the message of their food or service is through its customers. I go to American Dental Solutions in East Norriton and each time I'm in there, I am giving a flyer to review them on Yelp. Whether I liked their service or not, it's important to share your sound review on sites like Yelp for other customers to see. This also puts pressure on businesses to increase their level of service...because it's just as easy to write a bad review as it is to write a good one! 

So this is something to consider when you stop for a sandwich at a new spot in Norristown. How did you like your meal? Was your service good? What tips would you like to share? 

As you can see above, some businesses are taking advantage of Yelp for customers to review their food and services. There is also a feature for those business owners to respond to negative reviews and work with the customer to find a solution. Zachary's BBQ uses this feature to interact with fans and make sure their online menu is up to date.

Yelp is also FREE! For a small business, it is important to capitalize on every free marketing opportunity out there. Facebook, Twitter, Yelp, and Instagram are all social media sites that allow you to promote your business for free and gain more fans. Some businesses have not jumped on this opportunity for the lack of knowledge in technology and social media. SM and SEO is still new which creates a learning curve for older business owners. 

Whether you are a business or a customer, I encourage you to use this site when it comes to finding new places in town as well as reviewing your favorite spots. Yelp can be a useful tool to market Norristown's hidden gems and increase traffic at these locations. 

(Disclaimer: Yelp has not paid or asked TNP to write about their site for exposure purposes.)

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Response: Rethinking Law, Order in Norristown

Today, I wanted to share my response to an article posted on Philly.com discussing the policing change in Norristown. You may follow the link in the last sentence to read if you haven't already to understand my response.

I would like to first THANK the Norristown Police Department and Chief Talbot for making the effort to reduce crime in Norristown. Everyday it seems like we are waking up to another story of an officer using excessive force on their residents and the lack of trust in other departments. I am happy that Norristown has been proactive in this to increase trust among residents and avoided any major issues in our community we are working hard to bring back. 

Crime in Norristown has gone down, but it's still here...we can not ignore that. This Spring, we have seen three shootings around town which is an increase compared to the same time frame last year. So is crime going back up? I highly doubt it, but it is something that needs to be looked at to prevent this in the future. Typically when the weather gets warm, there is a short spike in overall crime then tapers off. 

On June 3rd, NPD has created an event called "Coffee with a Cop" at Dunkin Donuts on West Main Street. You can view more details on the flyer or visit our community calendar for more information. The timing of the event is tough as is occurs on a weekday and in the morning. I decided to go into work late on this day to have a chance to meet officers in my community and report on what happens at the event. If you are not working, I ask that you attend and introduce yourself to the officers and express any concerns you may have.

On the following week, NPD is hosting a Public COMPSTAT meeting at Montgomery Host Fire Company on Freedley. Information is available in the flyer above or you can view the event on our community calendar. This meeting is an opportunity to see current crime trends in town and how NPD has addressed the issue. This is also an opportunity to see what is being done to reduce crime in Norristown and possibly speak to Chief Talbot and his leadership team. 

I will repeat this again, Norristown Police should be recognized for their proactive approach regarding better policing strategy through community feedback. The police and residents need to work together more to increase trust and reduce major crimes. If the officers begin to know the residents and vice versa, we can see better communication and stronger bond. This has been absent in our community in recent years and it seems as if we may have found a solution. 

Also, I have mentioned many times on TNP's blog and Facebook page for everyone to join Nextdoor. Today a neighbor gave a heads up about a break-in and we were able to reach out to our neighbors instantly to be alert. NPD has stepped up patrol in our area to help. There is also a feature available to cities to join the site to send out alerts immediately via text/email which I hope the Municipality can jump on like other cities around the country.

Norristown Police and residents still have a long way to go before we have 100% trust and no crime in the community. Embrace these first couple of baby steps and let's work together for a better Norristown!

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Support Norristown's First Dog Park

As TNP mentioned in previous blogs, we would like to see a dog park come to the Norristown. A little over a month ago, council announced a plan to begin planning for a dog park at Bartasch Park right off of Fornance Street.

Yesterday, word began to spread of a contest the municipality has entered to win a grant for the new dog park. The contest is based on number of votes and population size. Norristown has a good chance if we can encourage our neighbors and friends to vote daily.

You may vote twice a day...once online and once on Facebook. Voting is very easy and you don't have to be a resident of Norristown to vote! Meaning, share with your cousins living in California! We need as many votes as possible. As of today, there are 300 cities in the contest so we have a battle ahead of us.

The winner of the contest will receive a grant for $100,000 to improve or build a dog park in their community. This will go a long way for construction, maintenance and insurance in the park. Several other cities will win up to $25,000 in grant funding as well, which also can go a long way for Norristown!

So I encourage you to vote now and every day through the end of the contest. Voting ends on July 10th, and the 15 finalists will be announced on July 17th for the final round of voting. So our first task is to atleast end up in the top 15 for voting so we can advance. I also ask residents to share this contest with the media to help spread the word. 

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Engaging Norristown Through Social Media

In today's blog, I would like to share again ways we can become more engaged as a community through social media. Social media and networking is becoming a part of our lives more and more each day. TNP started our movement through an online campaign and Facebook. Nextdoor is a social network that allows neighbors to interact with each other online. Think of it as an online version of community watch. Plus, it's safer than Facebook!

Nextdoor is the free and private social network for neighborhoods. On Nextdoor, neighbors create private websites for their neighborhoods where they can ask questions, get to know one another, and exchange local advice and recommendations. 

Thousands of neighborhoods across the country are already using Nextdoor to:

• Find trustworthy local resources, such as babysitters, plumbers, and dentists 
• Report suspicious activity and local crime 
• Organize neighborhood events, such as garage sales and block parties 
• Get assistance in finding lost pets and missing packages Sell or give away items, like an old kitchen table or bike 

Nextdoor’s mission is to use the power of technology to build stronger and safer neighborhoods. The inspiration behind Nextdoor was to give people a social network to connect them to one of the most important communities in their lives - the neighborhood. Nextdoor believes that when neighbors start talking, good things happen. 

Nextdoor is headquartered in San Francisco and was founded by a group of entrepreneurs who have a passion for creating meaningful online communities. 

Nextdoor is funded by Benchmark, Greylock Partners, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Tiger Global Management, Shasta Ventures, Comcast Ventures, DAG Ventures, Bezos Expeditions, A-Grade Investments, Google Ventures, Allen & Company, and Pinnacle Ventures, as well as other investors and Silicon Valley angels.

To join, use this link: https://nextdoor.com/invite/dhrqefagdjheqbktyueb

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Keep Your Old Recycling Bins!

Today will be a quick blog to remind you to keep your old recycling bins. Over the past couple of weeks, Mascaro has begun distributing new cans to residents. As we wait for official instructions on the new cans, everyone has been asking what to do with their old cans...I have some suggestions.

The first thing is that you should not get rid of your old recycling bins! If they are in good shape, keep them stored in your garage or yard. 90% of the items you place in the trash can be recycled. The more you learn which items can be placed in the recycling, the more you will need your old cans as a backup. 

Recycling is important for the environment(obviously), but did you know the municipality receives grants as residents recycle more? Recycling with Mascaro can help reduce the trash bill and provide more funding for projects around town. If each resident makes an effort to recycle more each week, we can make a difference to our environment and community.

Mascaro also allows you to use up to two additional 35 gallon cans with your new cans. If you're doing some Spring cleaning or yard work, the cans you were using before will come in handy. Once again, keep two of your best trash cans stored to handle this trash. 

So before you get too excited with the new cans and throw away your old ones, think if you will need them again.Don't throw that shampoo bottle in the trash, recycle it!

Next blog: 10 items you didn't know are recyclable

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In the Blood Season Kicks Off Tonight!

Spring is finally here and events are beginning to fill up the community calendar. TNP is polishing our cleaning equipment and gearing up for our annual Earth Day cleanup at Riverfront Park. Spring is not only a season for community cleanups in Norristown. Theatre Horizon will kick off their performance of In the Blood today.

Tonight's performance is a "pay what you can" opportunity with a suggested donation of $10. I encourage all of Norristown to flood all of their performances and help our arts district to continue to grow. Watch the trailer here:

Here's more information about the performance and the message behind In the Blood from Theatre Horizon's Facebook Page:

IN THE BLOOD 
APR 16-MAY 9, 2015
by Suzan-Lori Parks
Directed by Pirronne Yousefzadeh
Honorary Producers: David & Linda Glickstein

Cast: 
Akeem Davis
Ashley Everage
Christina May
Forrest McClendon
Sam Sherburne
Cathy Simpson

“An EXTRAORDINARY new play…EXHILARATING & HARROWING.”
—The New York Times

In this urban satire inspired by THE SCARLET LETTER, Hester is a homeless mother of five striving to escape the hand of fate. Will she be able to free her children from poverty, or is tragedy woven into her destiny and written in her blood?

TICKETS:
Regular - $20-$38
Senior - $32-$36
Young Friends (30 & under; students) - $20
Previews - $24
Generous discounts for groups of 8 or more!
FREE tickets for Norristown residents.

PERFORMANCES:
April 16 - 7:30 pm PWYC
Preview 1 April 17 - 8pm
Preview 2 April 18 - 8pm
Preview 3 April 19 - 2pm
Preview 4 April 22 - 6:30pm* - Norristown Night: Free tickets for Norristown residents & $10 tickets for Norristown employees.
Opening Night - April 23 - 7:30pm
April 24 - 8pm
April 25 - 8pm
April 26 - 2pm
April 30 - 7:30pm
May 1 - 8pm
May 2 - 8pm
May 3 - 2pm; 7:30pm
INDUSTRY NIGHT - May 4 - 7:30pm
May 7 - 7:30pm
May 8 - 8pm
May 9 - 2pm
May 9 - 8pm

IMAGINE NO HOMELESSNESS

Made possible by: The Patricia Kind Family Foundation & The Virginia Brown Martin Fund of the Philadelphia Foundation

Actors, college students, and housing-insecure partners will join together to share stories of homelessness in the Philadelphia region. Students will retell these stories through evocative art installations in the Theatre Horizon lobby throughout our production of IN THE BLOOD. Audiences will come together with our actors and community partners to imagine changing the story of homelessness in Montgomery County.

We hope you will join us. Please visit TheatreHorizon.org for more information.

BYOB lobby during the run of the IN THE BLOOD. Enjoy your favorite bottle of wine or beverage in the lobby before the show!

Call the Box Office at 610.283.2230 or visit www.theatrehorizon.org for more information. Tickets go on sale March 5, 2014."

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Something to Think About

Today's post will be a short video that is circulating online speaking about mass incarceration in the United States. Sure, this is a broader issue than Norristown but I wanted to share this video to begin a local discussion. Are we encouraging our leaders to be tougher on crime than criminals? Are we preparing current inmates for their release so they do not end up back in jail?

I will stop there and allow you to watch the video.

So what are your thoughts? To improve the image of Norristown, we need to continue to work with the  Norristown Police Department and local leaders to reduce crime in town. Crime has statistically gone down in town, however, we still have some issues to address to lower our per capita rate for crime.

To view NPD's crime mapping service, click here.

To view the article which inspired this post, click here.

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Changes to the Arts Hill Festival

Wychwood Music Festival

Yesterday, I attended the monthly council meeting after learning that the future of the Arts Hill Festival would be discussed as well as a couple other development opportunities. Elena and the Norristown Diary does a great job at dissecting council agendas and informing residents. You can read her post about the council meeting by clicking here.

I took notes for the portion that talked about transient food vendors (food trucks) and relocation of the Arts Hill Festival.

I would like to first state that no representative from the Arts Hill council was present to confirm these changes. The Times Herald posted this morning about Montco Idol finalist performing May 2nd at the Arts Hill Festival at the bandshell. However, the ordinance was brought to the agenda because the county wants food trucks for their workers more often and Arts Hill wanted trucks to be able to park along Harding Blvd. Instead of making exceptions to the current ordinance, they put in a motion to change the ordinance to ease the restrictions. It was unanimously passed. The biggest debate came when discussing free parking around the courthouse for food truck days. After much discussion, only food trucks will have a parking waiver.

For the county food truck days, they plan to hold them bi-weekly coordinating with the county's payday. The trucks would be stationed from Swede near 1 Montgomery Plaza to Main and on the county sidewalks. Norristown Business Association stated that "nearby businesses embrace this idea and are in the process of filling out applications to join these events." The new ordinance will allow for those businesses to set up tables and serve food outdoors of their businesses or near the courthouse.

The county will select 1-2 vendors per event. This number includes Norristown restaurants. A representative from the county stated that "there would be no preference selection to Norristown restaurants, however, we will include them in the process." The county has 1,400 employees and hundreds of daily visitors so I am assuming 1-2 trucks will quickly increase and it will be easier for Norristown businesses to win these permits.

Now on to the Arts Hill Festival which is suppose to happen in the 1st weekend in May. The only date confirmation I have seen this year is from the Montco Idol contest page. I will only speak on what I heard last night at the meeting. 

They said that the Arts Hill would be moved off the Arts Hill and to Elmwood Park. The festival would also change from an "arts" festival to music festival. The reason for the food truck changes are to accommodate the new festival and the vendors that would attend. I also heard rumors of making it more of an adult themed event by serving alcohol. once again, nothing is confirmed.

I have no doubt that the Arts Hill Festival will be successful at any location, but what are your thoughts? Do you think changing the Arts Hill festival to a music festival is a good idea?

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Only in Norristown...

Only in Norristown. A phrase often used with negativity attached to the end of the statement. What if we were to change what we attached to the end of "only in Norristown?" In today's post, we hope to start a conversation of what we should be highlighting when it comes to Norristown.

Only in Norristown...

You will find beautiful architectures like the former prison

You will find an AZA accredited state-of-the-art zoo

You will find a Zep

Lou's Sandwich Shop

You will find a beautiful downtown district

You can witness off-Broadway performances

You will notice murals before graffiti

You can enter your boat into the Schuylkill River from our park

You will see buildings listed on the National Registrar of Historic Places still in use

Montgomery County Opportunities Industrialization Center

You will see beautiful stone mansions

Gresh Mansion

You will see a street lined with historical homes and mansions

DeKalb Street

You will see beautiful churches

You will see festivals and feasts throughout the Spring and Summer

You will find some of the best pizza in the region

You will find HOME

The perception of Norristown will not change overnight, but it can happen sooner than we know it. We must first start with how we talk about Norristown. Norristown's residents (you) are the marketing department for the community. If we change a simple phrase "only in Norristown" into something positive, imagine the results we could achieve. What can you find only in Norristown?

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Norristown's Geno Auriemma Back in the NCAAW Championship

For those who follow March Madness, UConn Women's Basketball defeated Maryland to advance to the NCAA Championship game versus Notre Dame. What makes this championship great is not because of the rivalry and rematch, but that UConn's head coach is a product of Norristown, PA!

Norristown should be proud of our very own leading his team to another National Championship! To make this rival between the two teams better, Notre Dame's Head Coach is from Harrisburg making this a low-key PA battle!

UConn faces Notre Dame Tuesday, April 7th at 8:30 PM. The game can be watched on ESPN or WatchESPN.com. Go Huskies!

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Upcoming Opportunity: Earth Day Cleanup

Earlier this week, we mentioned that we would host two Earth Day cleanup projects this month at Riverfront Park. Today will be a quick reminder to share our event with individuals and businesses to participate. We currently have 30+ volunteers registered between both dates, but could always use more. 

Event details: April 22nd from 5-7 PM | April 25th from 12:30 - 3:00 PM

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Recycling in Norristown

Today will be a quick and important post about recycling in Norristown. Yesterday, J.P. Mascaro & Sons began distributing new cans to all residents in the municipality. One cart can be used for regular trash and the one with the blue lid will be used for recycling. If you have more trash that can fit in the one container, you may still use up to two of your old cans. However, I wouldn't be surprised if this exception goes away and Mascaro brings in arm trucks. Let's get into understanding recycling in Norristown and make sure you are following recycling guidelines.

In Norristown, we are fortunate to have single stream recycling. In a nutshell, this means you can put any recyclables in the same can for pickup. Other towns may have restrictions on what can be recycled on which day and we're fortunate enough to worry about this.

Take a look at the attached screenshot from J.P. Mascaro & Sons' website about materials they will accept. For more information, click here.

I encourage all residents to begin recycling more and thinking twice before placing an item in the trash if it can be recycled. The key to reducing waste is by recycling more. We will talk more about the benefits of recycling and creative ways to turn recycled materials into art.

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Luxury Hotel Coming to Norristown!

The Norristown Project is pleased to share the news of a new hotel finally coming to Downtown Norristown and we have the concept design! TNP has discussed the need for more lodging options in town to support our local businesses and Arts Hill. Well, it's finally happening! L'irpa Sloof Hotel & Resort

Now that I have your attention on this lovely April Fools' Day (L'irpa Sloof is April Fools backwards), I would like to talk about the serious challenge when talking about tourism in Norristown. No, a luxury hotel is NOT coming to Norristown...yet! 

Looking at the map above, you will notice some red dots which represent hotels/motels. There is ONE place to stay in Norristown, and the reviews are not that great..

Ignore the 5 star review at the bottom, he's the owner. I do agree that the renovation looks nice from the outside, however, the reviews tell a more accurate story of the Inn. If you're staying at this Inn, you are not really close to the entertainment or restaurant offerings we have.

I won't waste much time talking about this Inn as this is the only lodging option in town. I would like to talk more about the need for more hotels and resorts in Norristown.

If you have relatives coming to town to visit but don't care for them to stay with you for whatever reason, they book a hotel nearby. Chances are, they will select a hotel in Upper Merion or Plymouth Meeting. Makes sense, it's close to the mall and more convenient. Nearby businesses thrive off of their visitors as well as the malls. Can you imagine how busy the restaurants and theaters will be if we had a hotel in Downtown Norristown? Maybe the developers for the PNC building can find an interested party. If a hotel selects the remaining floors, there is no doubt that the first floor will fill up fast with shops and restaurants as well as other open office space.

Now it's your turn to share your vision for lodging options in Norristown!

• Where would you like to see a hotel in Norristown?
• Would you want a modern, historic or themed hotel?
• Which historic building would you convert to a B&B?
• Does Norristown even need a hotel?

Add your thoughts in the comment section below! Enjoy the rest of your April Fools' Day!

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Warning from Norristown Police Department

via Press Release

Police are warning residents about scams whereby possible criminals, posing as “Water Company” or similar public utility workers are trying to enter homes by telling residents that they need to “Check the water pipes.”

Police are reminding all residents to be cautious when allowing any worker access into their homes or businesses.

Remember:

• Stop and think: Are you expecting anyone to come to your home?
• Remember that most utility companies won’t send a worker to your home unannounced. They usually will make an appointment before showing up.
• Utility workers will always have proper identification including their picture and Utility Company name.
• Look for the company logo on the person’s uniform and vehicle.

In most cases, all public utilities have the ability to make any checks for proper service at points outside of the home.

Call the worker’s utility company using the directory assisted listed phone number to confirm the workers identity and work order. If you are elderly or home alone, have the worker schedule an appointment for another time when you can be accompanied by another person.

Call the police immediately and report any suspicious activity or people trying to enter or moving around your or your neighbor’s home.

For social media updates from Norristown Police Department, click here.

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Getting the Most out of Our Community Calendar

If you're following the Norristown Project, you are aware that we sponsor our own community calendar free to the community. This calendar can become a powerful weapon to boosting tourism as well as planning for your next event. This blog will be a refresher to most of you and an instructions manual to the rest.

The first point I would like to make about our calendar is that it is FREE and managed through volunteer efforts. It's not funded by taxpayers or through donations. The cost to maintain this site is $0 and requires about 2 hours per week to keep it fresh(adding new events). 

We make it easy for anyone to submit events through Google forms. All that is required by you or the business is to place the event details in the calendar and it will be published within 24-48 hours depending on volume. Before you submit an event, please use spell check and make sure all your details are correct. This is important because when it is complete, I copy/paste the details in the calendar without checking your spelling. Sorry, I went to school for Finance and my grammar is probably worse than anyone I know. The only details I check is if the event happens within Norristown's borders.

That's right, the only events you will ever see on our calendar happen in Norristown only. For it to serve its purpose, these events must happen in Norristown and support those businesses/organizations who are keeping the community active. We understand that there are not enough venues for all events in Norristown, however, we give no exceptions to this rule(we will talk about this in a future post). To add an event to our calendar, click here and fill out the form at the bottom of the calendar.

Please make sure you are using the Google form to make sure your event shows up on our calendar. In the earlier stages of the calendar, I would spend 8-16 hours a week browsing all social media, emails and event pages for events happening in Norristown. Last year, that was easier to do. If you are an event organizer, please make sure you use our form. I receive a notification once a day if an event has been added and it goes up that next morning. By the time I go online to search for any missing events, it may already be too late!

Now for a crash course for the viewer/resident. The community calendar can be viewed several ways. The first is on it's home site here. We also have a link at the top of this site that will lead you to the community calendar site. The community calendar is also embedded on our Facebook page. Search 'The Norristown Project' on Facebook, like us, and click the 'Community Calendar' tab on the page.

The events are marked by category. There is also a drop down arrow at the top right of the calendar where you can sort the categories to only show the categories you are looking for. By default the calendar is shown in a monthly view, however, you can change it to your favorite view. The calendar also has a feature where you can subscribe to the calendar and receive all the events on your phone/tablet. That's it!

So that is our community calendar in a nutshell. We try to make it as convenient as possible. We would like to remind you our calendar is a volunteer effort! Help on this calendar is always appreciated whether you're a resident or represent a business/organization. If you know of an event that does not appear on our calendar but you would like to share and recommend the event with our viewers, simply use the Google form on the page and we would be more than happy to include this event! TNP is proud of our community calendar and hope you have benefited from using this resource. 

Email sashe@montcooic.org for any suggestions for the calendar or add a comment to this blog below.

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