Arts District Needs Improvement, Survey From Gloucester Twp. Suggests

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — Fewer than 1 percent of Gloucester Township residents asked appear to like the direction the municipality's Neighborhood Preservation Program's Arts District is heading, a survey suggested.

The result was one of many released contained within the Gloucester Township Arts District Neighborhood Preservation Program Community Survey that was released earlier this year.

Specifically, when survey participants were asked how much they liked the present state of Arts District in downtown Blackwood, responses were:

• 0.58 percent answered "A lot. It's amazing! Don't change a thing."
• 7.83 percent responded with "improved."
• 29.28 percent replied "some work."
• 42.32 percent said "not at all."

Among the most common reasons the same survey respondents cited (more than one reason could be chosen) for not visiting Blackwood's arts district were:

• 84.6 percent felt there were "too few stores or shops that interest me"
• 78 percent said noted that there were"too few eating or drinking places"
• 77.4 percent indicated there were "too many vacant storefronts"

The Neighborhood Preservation Program takes "a comprehensive approach to neighborhood development, which affords municipalities flexible and creative options," according to Gloucester Township's website.

Long-term, the township's Neighborhood Preservation Program hopes to "rethink, reimagine, reenergize and revitalize the municipality," the township's website stated.

On a related note, the township was awarded a $125,000 grant from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs in October to help the township reach its Neighborhood Preservation Program goals, that department's website said.

The funds must be used on "neighborhood preservation and revitalization activities," including but not limited to making improvements to lighting, seating, art, and performance spaces; creating public outdoor seating and dining areas; and providing direct grants to small businesses, the state website continued.

Got a news tip? Story idea? Send me an email with the details at [email protected].