Despite the lagging economy, downtown New Bern has continued to move forward. 

As the 300th Anniversary Committee has planned a year’s worth of events and activities to market New Bern throughout 2010 as a tourist destination, Swiss Bear has been furthering projects that will have lasting effect: projects that will sustain, preserve and expand our resources.

Some projects are water-related.

Since downtown has had no truly public transient docking facilities, they were added to the Downtown Revitalization Plan.

Once the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) program was identified as a source of funding, Swiss Bear submitted a proposal to develop 14 public slips, a marina and a timer footbridge to allow access from downtown to Jack’s Island, the marina/boat slips and Lawson Creek Park’s recreational facilities.

The grant request included the removal of navigational hazards identified by an East Carolina University underwater survey.

In the fall of 2008, Swiss Bear was awarded a $64,900 grant from The Harold H.Bate Foundation for the footbridge.

In April of 2009, the US Fish and Wildlife Service awarded a BIG grant of $646,650, with a percentage designated for removal of any navigational hazards. This grant funds approximately 50% of the total project.

The NC Division of Fisheries, Swiss Bear’s interface with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, forwarded the BIG proposal to the NC Department of Cultural Resources for Compliance Review. At their request, to ensure against interference with historical artifacts that might lie underwater, Swiss Bear contracted with Tidewater Atlantic Research of Washington, NC to conduct and underwater archeological survey which will be completed in early 2010.

Allison Platt & Associates designed a plan for a River History Park on Jack’s Island to include swing span gear from the old Cunningham Bridge, an anchor, a ship hauling machine and other maritime artifacts being stored for Swiss Bear by DOT and the city. The late 19th or early 20th century ship hauling machine, by the way, is a truly massive reminder of New Bern’s history as a port and shipbuilding center.

The Fairfield Harbor Yacht Club raised funds for a Sailing Ship’s Step Mast  flagpole replicating one once at Tryon Palace as a tercentennial gift to the city. It will be displayed on Jack’s Island with the other artifacts.

Swiss Bear’s Connectivity Committee is hoping to acquire the locally built Herbert C. Bonner ferry, now retired, as an attraction adjacent to the marina and transient slips.

Some projects are related to the Riverwalk, parks, historic sites and recreation.

Swiss Bear is working with the city to complete the Riverwalk, the two-mile walkway along the Neuse and Trent Rivers.

Sidewalks in three blocks of privately owned historic homes along East Front Street were designated parts of the Riverwalk. The City received Coastal Management Waterfront Beach Access grants to develop a walkway in a park-like setting at the end of Queen Street and the space at the end of Pollock Street connecting with a privately owned tract.

Adjacent to the Pollock Street Park walkway, the tract’s owner granted an easement to the City and a promenade was constructed in character with the promenade at Union Point Park.

The City is in the process of obtaining an easement from two private property owners to the south of the Pollock Street Park to construct a walkway on the Neuse River, several feet from the bulkheads of the two properties and connecting to the Union Point Park promenade.

The Riverwalk was included in the New Bern Comprehensive Pedestrian Plan adopted by the City and the footbridge entered into NCDOT’s Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) in the Bicycle and Pedestrian category.

Allison Platt & Associates designed a concept plan for a park on a narrow tract of City land at the end of Broad Street from East Front to the Neuse River as a public green space with art, benches, trees and lighting. Swiss Bear obtained cost estimates and funding is being explored.

We continue to raise funds to restore a Grumman F-11 jet dedicated to the city in 1973 as a symbol of New Bern’s good relationship with the military community. The jet was originally a Blue Angels aircraft that it is hoped might be relocated to Lawson Creek Park.

Restoration of the historic Fordham Cemetery on Queen Street is moving along. This has been a joint effort by students of Epiphany School, the New Ben Preservation Foundation and Swiss Bear.

The 29th annual MUMFEST, October 10-11, was a huge success, attracting records crowds, more sponsors than ever before, over 325 vendors, and a host of family-oriented attractions – from bell ringers to fire eating acrobats, extreme trampoline and bike shows to an aerobatic air show.

Produced by Swiss Bear in cooperation with the City of New Bern, the County, area businesses and nonprofits, MUMFEST has an economic impact of $3.5 million on the local economy.

Downtown construction: a progress report.

While the need for more parking spaces is critical, construction of a parking deck remains on hold until the economy improves and a strategy to construct the facility can be developed.

Soon there will be two handsome new gateways to the downtown area. One is the $41million bascule bridge replacing the Alfred A. Cunningham Bridge over the Trent, due to open officially on February 26. The other is 1.5 miles of major streetscape improvements to the Broad Street corridor.

The orange construction barrels will be removed from Broad Street in late January, lines defining lanes and parking spaces will be painted – temporarily at first; again with thermoplastic paint, when the weather is warmer.

The city anticipates placing utility lines underground by late spring or early summer. Sidewalks will then be finished, and in early winter, trees will be planted in the Broad Street median, using stimulus money.

The $60-million North Carolina History Education Center, an innovative museum adjacent to the Tryon Palace complex is scheduled to open in June 2010.

The $12-million renovation of the Federal Building on Middle at New Street will be completed by late summer, in time to celebrate its 75th anniversary as part of the 300th Jubilee Weekend, September 16-19.

Empire Properties has gutted the five-story Elks Building at Pollock and Middle, and will rehab the interior as space is leased.

Nine new shops opened or expanded, and there have been several major renovations, all enhancing the downtown mix.

Those are the many good things that happened in 2009.

Swiss Bear's focus in 2010 will be to continue its work to::

• Complete the Riverwalk and River History Park.
• Seek funding for these and other important projects.
• Organize and host the 30th annual NC Main Street Conference*
• Help the 300th Committee celebrate New Bern’s tercentennial.
• Organize Swiss Bear’s 30th anniversary gala on April 22.
• Produce MUMFEST 2010.

* Established by city, county and community leaders in 1979 to market downtown New Bern to

  retirees, vacationers and convention-goers as well as residents, Swiss Bear became one of the

  first five North Carolina cities to participate in the NC Main Street Program the following year.

The 30th Annual Main Street Conference was held in New Bern on January 27-29, drawing 400 elected officials, main street managers, board members and developers from across the state. The NC Main Street Center, under the state department of Commerce, promotes downtown revitalization based on economic development within the context of historic preservation, a program developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the late 1970’s. Swiss Bear hosted the conference, organized tours of major projects, and presented New Bern’s award-winning story.

Swiss Bear and the City received an award for the Best Public-Private Partnership for Broad Street Improvements and the new Trent River Bridge.

This overview of 2009 happenings was presented to the Swiss Bear Board of Directors at its December 2009 meeting by Susan Moffat-Thomas, Executive Director.