Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann announced that Whitley on the Move is joining the Indiana Main Street Program. The IMS program encourages economic development, redevelopment and improvement to the downtown areas of Indiana’s cities and towns.

“I’m pleased to welcome South Whitley to the Indiana Main Street Program,” said Ellspermann. “By bringing together volunteers and making a commitment to revitalizing the downtown area, residents have taken some big steps in the valuable work of restoring the heart of South Whitley.”

Whitley on the Move will join more than 115 other Indiana Main Street Communities dedicated to the revitalization of their downtown areas. The IMS is founded on a Four Point Approach to downtown development: organization, design, promotion and economic restructuring. Each of these points represents an aspect of the downtown which is vital in the restoration efforts of the community. The IMS is administered by the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs.

Indiana Main Street Program Manager Shae Kmicikewycz stated, “We are proud to have Whitley on the Move as part of the Indiana Main Street family. The members of the community and Town of South Whitley have come together to support the organization’s revitalization efforts. We welcome them to the Indiana Main Street Program and look forward to the improvements that will be made in downtown South Whitley.”

The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs was created by legislation in 2005, making rural Indiana a major focus for the first time. For additional information on OCRA and its programs visit www.in.gov/ocra.