Creative and Practical Ideas on improving Salado

Friends,

     Sheryl Russell recently sent some creative and practical ideas on improving Salado. Enjoy reading them and if one "tickles your fancy," try it.  As Sheryl says, "It takes a Village to make a Village."

• Make way finding signs that include little maps to pick up and use or maps that can be pulled up on electronic devises and provide information resources everywhere including retailers.  Counter cards in restaurants can get attention while people are waiting for food services. 

• Lights. Our streets are too dark. All of Main (north to Library and south to Holland Road) and Royal to the Methodist Church should be lighted for safety and attractiveness. Exits off of I-35 - our front door to the world - should set an image for our Village that says “Salado is special”. Exits are very dark, too.

• Signs must be accurate; no incorrect information.

• Signs should include and indicate historic sights - Cemetery, Tablerock, College Hill, Pace Park, Sculpture Garden, CTAM, Sirena, Churches, Restaurants, and B&B locations. 

• Signs that point out the things that make Salado unique are intriguing -  maybe signs would just say Especially Salado.

• Add info on unique sights, special award winning gardens, great views of huge trees, scenic drives, etc.

• Create back stories that bring history to life and honor those who have worked to make Salado unique.  Develop a working history of all our business owners and key community leaders.

• Remove out of date info.  Errors or non-info implies that we don’t care enough to offer the very best. The Village should be an example of positive motivation. Key organization like the Chamber and Tourism should lead the way by their good examples. 

• Encourage people to pick up garage sale signs, plant sale buckets, wedding balloons and signs, and any trash. 

• Make Salado look special from I-35 the main view of our Village all year long - not just at Christmas time. 

• Encourage people - don’t punish them or make rules that are hard to enforce and impossible to do or justify. Kindness and compliments usually work like honey and sugar. 

• Acknowledge cooperation and positive results with kudos and thanks. The Baines House was recently awarded Garden of the Month. What a nice way of encouraging me to continue to make our property special.

• Encourage businesses to be lighted inside and outside after dark. Sir Wigglesworth was as bright at night as is was in the daytime and I often saw people window shopping there. Same for Gregory’s - great windows and lights attracted many compliments and shoppers. Many B&B guests stroll around after dark to enjoy Salado at leisure. When I walk at night I see citizens, too, with flash lights.

• Strive to create and maintain empathy between Business Salado, non-business Salado, and school age families.  This synergy is vital and valuable.  Our Village takes a village!

• Bring history to everything we do. History is what makes Salado different and unique. Keep the historic look of Salado a reality.  Our rules and guidelines don’t seem to be user friendly or encouraging for incorporating vintage details, awnings, porches, and people places. Maybe we need some Village parking zones and more trolley services. 

• For a certain age group - if it’s not on the internet or electronic media it’s NOT. We must go into that realm. Printing is expensive and it’s only available once people arrive in town. Even at our B&B, often I don’t actually see folks until breakfast and they may be leaving that day. Thus I’m telling them about our Village after the fact. 

VR/Skip