Freddie the Falcon, Flowery Branch officials and community members gathered Thursday afternoon to cut the ribbon on phase one of the downtown redevelopment.
Crowds gathered in downtown Flowery Branch to celebrate the official completion of the first phase of redevelopment, featuring the pavilion north of Knight Drive and major improvements surrounding Main Street. In conjunction with the weekly farmers market on Thursdays, the community visited vendors, participated in arts and crafts and enjoyed musical performances.
With phase one now complete, phase two can begin, which hopes to revitalize the area between Flowery Branch City Hall and Main Street, according to Community Relations Director Renee Carden.
“We have about four parcels that we have to play with,” Carden said. “And we know we need some parking and a park, and more retail and dining, so it should be great.”
Carden expressed excitement for the direction of the downtown area, saying it allows her to create community events that give people more reason to “come and make memories with their family.”
Prior to the ribbon cutting Thursday, community members heard from Mayor Ed Asbridge, who praised the actions of the city council and various other government officials for Flowery Branch. Following his remarks, Georgia State House Representative Derrick McCollum commented on how he was raised in the area and is proud to call the city his home.
“I remember coming through here [Main Street] as a teenager, and it was pretty much just a little road bump at the time,” McCollum said. “But I just want to thank Flowery Branch’s staff for all the hard work they've done.”
McCollum also noted plans to hopefully connect greenway trails in the city with the Highlands to Islands Trail, providing access to large swathes of Hall County through walking paths.
House Representative Soo Hong spoke after McCollum, praising the farmer’s market and the community’s willingness to come out and support local businesses.
“I’ve been to a lot of farmer's markets and a lot of city squares, and this is one of a kind,” Hong said. “All the products, all of the vendors here, you can just tell that they really enjoy being here and the people here really enjoy being here. I really commend the city.”
Hong represents District 103, which covers the area south of Flowery Branch and down toward Buford. McCollum represents District 30, which stretches from central Flowery Branch east toward Talmo.
Flowery Branch hosts a farmer’s market every Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the New Market Pavilion. Those events run weekly from May until September.
Pictures from the event can be viewed in the above photo gallery.
