Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Grants Plaza topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
CBT Board awards $100,000 to Edinburgh for downtown plaza and Festival Country stage
Summary
The CBT Board approved a $100,000 matching grant to the Town of Edinburgh for a downtown plaza and stage as part of a placemaking plan, following a presentation that laid out secured grants, design partners and an estimated $350,000 total project cost.
The CBT Board approved a $100,000 grant to the Town of Edinburgh to help construct a downtown plaza and stage intended for festivals, farmers markets and year‑round programming. The award is conditioned on Festival Country signage and coordination with the CBT staff.
Economic development director Sarah Beth Drybreath told the board Edinburgh purchased a property at 201 West Maincross and is working with the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture and Design through an IU Center for Rural Engagement Rural Placemaking Studio grant to design the plaza. “We really want that we're committed as well,” Drybreath said, describing partnership with Festival Country and other regional organizations.
Context and funding: Drybreath said the town has secured multiple funding sources so far: $35,000 from the Johnson County Community Foundation, $5,000 from the Memorial Realty Association, $14,000 from the Conover Foundation (for demolition), $66,000 earmarked through the regional REDI program, and town purchase of the property. She said the project team estimates a total project cost of about $350,000 and asked CBT for a $100,000 match; at the time of the presentation she said about $121,000 had been committed from identified sources, not counting additional REDI funding still pending.
Design and timeline: The proposed plaza is just south of State Road 252, across from the library, and would include a stage, a water feature, flexible open space, lighting and salvaged stone repurposed from a dam removal for seating and a safety perimeter. Drybreath said the town is upgrading utilities and plans May 2026 as a target opening, with a concert season and farmers market beginning in June 2026.
Formal action: Board member Don moved and Donnie seconded a motion to award a $100,000 grant to the Town of Edinburgh for the downtown plaza, with the condition that Festival Country signage be applied as arranged between staff and the town; the board voted aye by voice and approved the grant.
Discussion vs. decision: Presentation material, funding commitments and the town’s placemaking plan were discussed in detail; the board made a formal funding decision during the meeting. Drybreath emphasized the project’s role in a regional approach to arts and events and described partners including Main Street volunteers, Discover Downtown Franklin and Franklin Heritage Inc.
Ending: The town will proceed with engineering (Crossroads) and demolition work already funded; the board did not specify a reporting schedule for project milestones or an exact payment schedule for the grant in the meeting record.
