GCAC September 2019 ‘Good News’ Newsletter

Hello, Crisfield fans and friends,

Are you ready for more really ‘good news’ happening in or near Crisfield? Here goes:

NEW CORBIN STUDIO AND GALLERY TO OPEN BY THE END OF THIS MONTH:

In last month’s newsletter, I featured the new Somerset County Arts Council Gallery downtown which just had its Grand Opening. Now Crisfield is getting a second art gallery, with one opening uptown in the former Corbin Library. According to Jennifer Merritt, the Corbin Studio and Gallery, located at 4 East Main Street in Crisfield, is projected to open sometime this month.   They are seeking artists and volunteers to staff the Gallery and join the Co-op; and sculptors, photographers, painters, writers, and musicians are encouraged to get involved. If you are interested, please register at crisfieldarts.org/corbin-gallery. They anticipate being open on Saturdays and Sundays, and on 2nd and 4th Wednesdays around the City Council meetings, as well as for special events. Things are looking up… artistically speaking!  😊

GREAT HOPE GOLF COURSE SURGING FORWARD!

Great Hope Golf Course, just 16 minutes north of Crisfield on Route 413, is an outstanding golf course that is becoming even better. The 18-hole Championship course designed by world-renowned golf architect Dr. Michael Hurdzan and rated #2 in Maryland by Golf Advisor, had a good year last year, and this year is proving even better. In fact, Clint Sterling, Recreation and Parks Director, told me this year’s golf season revenue is up 32% over last year. Wow! That’s huge.

Clint attributes the increase to three factors: One is that they have been modifying their turf management processes, resulting in keeping the greens and fairways healthy and in good shape throughout the season. Golfers have been impressed with the condition of the course, and word of mouth has spread. (See pictures at: https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipP3cgzme2HB-gSs_CiPfHJzVC0fghGZMDvu9GJLLcUWFUmMiI9TSWUg2APEVv8DDA?key=TkFWNTV5T3NkV3diNDRGUFkzWkh4N1V0Tkh1cFBB). Second, they have refined their marketing strategy and focused on targeted marketing in the region. Great Hope is the only 18-hole Championship course between here and Cape Charles, VA, and it’s also the only one between here and Ocean City, so they targeted their marketing on these two geographic areas. Third, they came up with a golf package called the Skipjack Super Pass that offers 18 holes of golf with a cart for $25 a round when you buy the member pass for $99 for the season. 

The pass also provides a 10% discount in the Pro Shop and restaurant. They have sold over 250 of these passes since April and as a result they are seeing a lot of new faces and repeat visits. The offer will end at the end of the year, so you might want to purchase a pass for yourself or buy some to give as Christmas presents. Go to www.greathopegolf.com for more information.

Clint also attributes their success to the loyal golfers in the region who have been members for many years. Last and most important, he attributes their growth to the dedication of the staff. If you look at the testimonials on their website, you’ll see how many people acknowledge the service and friendliness of the people who run the course and make it what it is. Great Hope Golf Course is one of Crisfield’s assets. People who live here or visit here want to have things to do, and golfers enjoy having an outstanding course nearby that is well-maintained and managed. Kudos to all who are making it happen! Keep up the great work at Great Hope.

McCREADY HEALTH PAVILLION COMING IN 2021

At a time when many rural hospitals are closing due to a lack of sustainability, the leadership of McCready Hospital, known as McCready Health, has negotiated a deal that will keep many medical services here. McCready Health and Peninsula Regional Health System (PRHS) have reached an agreement for the purchase of McCready by PRHS, and a new facility will be built 3.5 miles north of Crisfield on Crisfield Highway. Final approval is set for November 1st. The 22-acre property has already been purchased and is expected to open as early as 2021. It will be known as the McCready Health Pavilion and will offer many services including 24/7 emergency care, physical therapy, speech therapy, behavioral health services, family medicine, and imaging and lab services. Surgery and inpatient care will be handled at Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury.

The story of the founding of McCready Hospital almost 100 years ago is quite touching. It came out of tragedy, compassion, and gratitude.  You can read about it at https://www.mccreadyhealth.org/about-us/history/. The founding set the tone for the long history of the hospital – compassionate care. That’s what I always experienced there. Over the years, there have been several times when my family or I have used the emergency room and many times when I have used the lab and imaging services there. 

The people I have encountered were professional, competent, efficient, and, most of all, caring. Every time. It means a lot when you are in crisis and even when you are only having routine tests. With the agreement that has been reached, these services will continue. We can be very thankful for that.

I know change is hard. Our tendency is to resist it. But my experience has been that as hard as change is, good always comes from it. In this case, we are getting a new, state-of-the-art facility that will be sustainable and will be away from the wetlands to eliminate the possibility of parking lots flooding at high tide. The initial facility is expected to cost $25-28 million, with room for expansion later on.  The original facility did not have room for expansion. We are blessed to keep a medical facility here instead of seeing McCready Hospital closing its doors with no alternative care facility. Crisfield owes thanks to the forward thinking and hard work of the Board and leadership at McCready Health.

YOUTH ENTREPRENEUR PROGRAM IN THE WORKS:

The Greater Crisfield Action Coalition (GCAC) will be planning and implementing a Youth Entrepreneur Program over the winter in hopes of launching a few small business enterprises in Crisfield by next Spring. A program will be developed that will assess candidates and select several young people in our community to learn the skills needed to start their own business. Roughly 14% of the U.S. population is starting or running a new business, and one study showed that 71% of young people expressed interest in having their own business. The program will likely pair young people with local mentors and may help form partnerships or teams to enhance the skills and resources needed for the business. Ideally, new businesses will provide goods or services that cater to Crisfield’s tourists as well as our fulltime residents.

BIKE TRAIL IS COMING TO LIFE!

As a follow-up to last month’s newsletter, I have attached two pictures that capture the work that has begun to build the new five-mile Bike Trail running from Marion to Crisfield along Route 413. It’s a thrill to see the progress that is being made daily by mega equipment and a full crew. Don’t you just love to see things getting done?!

BUBBY’S WING SHACK IS EXPANDING:

By the end of September, Bubby’s will have expanded into the third storefront attached to their current location at 1108 West Main Street. The space formerly housed the Crisfield Creamery, and Bubby’s will continue to sell Hershey’s premium ice cream, but they will add many other sweets and treats including salt water taffy, homemade fudge, candy by the pound, and their homemade barbecue sauces. In addition, they will offer flavored specialty coffee and sell Bubby’s t-shirts. When I was there on Wednesday, both rooms were busy, and people were enjoying the scenes from the booths looking out over the waterfront and the variety of seafood, soups, and salads on the menu. It’s a bold move to expand going into the off season, but Renee and Mike Mears are hardworking restauranteurs who enjoy operating a business where they can provide a good dining experience and share a bit of Crisfield with those who come downtown.

SEAFOOD WORKERS MURAL ON ITS WAY

The Greater Crisfield Action Coalition is now positioned to move forward on plans to commission a mural depicting Crisfield’s seafood workers at work in the heyday of the seafood industry in Crisfield. These workers, along with the watermen, were the backbone of Crisfield’s economy and deserve recognition as playing a significant role in our history. One artist being considered for the work is Paul Boyd III who did the mural on Route 13 in Salisbury that was completed recently. (See attached picture.) If things go according to plan, the new mural in Crisfield will be completed over the winter. A location uptown is our first choice, but that has not been finalized. The mural will add beauty, vitality, and historical significance to Crisfield’s streetscape, and I look forward to sharing more details as we proceed in the months ahead.

 ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES ANALYSIS UNDERWAY

 Using Hurricane Sandy funds, the County has hired the Sage Policy Group to conduct a study that would provide an analysis of the economic opportunities and potential for growth in Somerset County, with particular focus on Crisfield. The study will review previous studies as well as collect input from focus groups comprised of community leaders. Several focus groups have already met, and the analysis is well underway. Among the outcomes to be included in the study are evaluating existing plans and strategies, evaluating the potential of tourism, identifying missed opportunities, discovering what issues are preventing a full recovery, and developing long-term and short-term goals.

According to the Request for Proposals (RFP), “The outcomes will include a market analysis to determine the types of businesses that could be supported based on information related to spending patterns in the County and region. It will also include a feasibility analysis of commercial and industrial real estate to determine quality and quantity. Additionally, it will include preliminary architectural design and structural analysis of commercial buildings in the City of Crisfield that were impacted by flooding and a workforce analysis… The study will provide relevant, usable information as to rebuilding a sustainable economy that is able to support its residents.” According to Economic Development Executive Director Danny Thompson, “The cost of the study is $80,000 and is expected to be completed mid-November.”

GCAC TO BEGIN TRACKING GROWTH IN CRISFIELD

Inspirational speaker Zig Ziglar said, “You can’t hit a target you cannot see, and you cannot see a target you do not have.” With that in mind, by the end of 2019, GCAC will have identified several indicators of growth in vibrant communities and will establish a baseline of where Crisfield is now as compared to where we want to be. For example, GCAC will collect data on the number of jobs in Crisfield, the number of businesses, the number of tourists who visit, and sales or tax revenue. Other indicators we may include could be the number of hotel rooms and occupancy, the number of new and renovated residences, and the amount of private investment. With that data as a baseline, we will collaborate with community partners to set goals and then track growth (or decline) quarterly and publicize the numbers in the County Times, in our newsletter, and on our website and Facebook pages.

We will also attempt to identify factors and strategies that are contributing to the results so that what is working can be supported further. There is data that is collected annually by various organizations such as the Somerset County Tourism office, the Somerset County Economic Development office, and the Census Bureau. Our purpose will be to break apart this and other data we collect with a focus on Crisfield and on what is most meaningful to our people: jobs, business growth, and vitality. Hopefully the study being done by the Sage Policy Group will be helpful in guiding our effort. Stay tuned. This is one of the secrets to unleashing Crisfield’s future: setting and tracking goals!

CONCLUSION

Last, thanks to the Somerset County Tourism office, we have a calendar of coming events for the area. At the bottom of this email, I have included many activities going on in Crisfield in September. I hope you will take advantage of the cultural, historical, and culinary offerings I know you will enjoy!

To conclude, here we are at the end of the season, and Crisfield continues to bloom with new shops, new art venues, and growth in existing enterprises. And, I already have a list of 6 more exciting coming attractions that are not quite ready for publication. Crisfield continues to be on the rise. Please pray for Crisfield, its people and its future. Please show up and partake in the great things we already have going for us. And please keep the faith as we continue to strive to become all we are destined to be!

Best, Charlotte

Charlotte Scott, President
Greater Crisfield Action Coalition, Inc.*
PO Box 144
Crisfield, MD 21817

www.GreaterCrisfieldMD.org
​
410-251-1669
*The Greater Crisfield Action Coalition is a 501(c)3 not for profit organization, run by an all-volunteer, non-paid Board of Directors