Goldsboro recognized at North Carolina Main Street awards; Ali’s Memorial Garden and champion volunteer honored
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Summary
Goldsboro received two statewide Main Street awards — one recognizing Ali’s Memorial Garden as a model public–private partnership and a second naming January Hammond as Goldsboro’s Main Street champion — and the council heard details about the projects and partners.
City officials and Downtown Goldsboro volunteers on May 5 presented two recognitions the community received at the North Carolina Main Street awards: an award for Ali’s Memorial Garden as a public‑private partnership and a Main Street Champion award for volunteer January Hammond.
Aaron Fonseca, Downtown Development Director, summarized the awards and introduced video presentations shown at the statewide conference in Mooresville. Staff described Ali’s Memorial Garden as a small but impactful downtown green space created to honor Ali Craft, an 11‑year‑old who loved nature and dance. The garden is on the Butterfly Highway conservation route and was developed through a mix of in‑kind donations, volunteer labor and small local budget allocations. Staff estimated in‑kind contributions at approximately $32,000 and over 200 volunteer hours (valued in the record at roughly $6,000 in labor savings). The Downtown Goldsboro Development Corporation’s annual budget of $5,000 contributed to the project, and municipal service district funds were used for sustainable outdoor furnishings.
Staff credited landscape designer Brian Daniels, the Kraft family and multiple donors (including American Meadows, Baker Creek, Princeton High School FFA, Casey Garden Center, Delco, and Accucopy) for contributing plant materials, design, fabrication, and graphic work. Council and staff noted the garden has increased downtown foot traffic and complements nearby cultural institutions such as the Paramount Theater.
Council and staff also presented the Main Street Champion award to January Hammond, the promotions committee chair for the Downtown Goldsboro Development Corporation. Staff said Hammond has volunteered more than 200 hours on the 2024 Main Street conference steering committee and leads promotion efforts that support downtown events and economic activity.
Both recognitions were described as examples of the city’s downtown revitalization efforts and public‑private collaboration. The council and award recipients posed for photos during the meeting; no council action was required.
