Travelers Rest mayor spotlights downtown planters, trailside trolley and open ATAX grants in April update

Travelers Rest Mayor delivered the city’s April update on community events and downtown improvements, announcing new wooden planters, a rabbit-themed family guide, the debut of a trailside trolley and funding news for streetscaping.

The mayor credited local scout Oliver TD for crafting wooden planters that will be installed along Main Street, saying, "Big thanks to local scout Oliver TD for working on these beautiful wooden planters that you're going to start to see along Main Street." The update also highlighted a downtown rabbit installation led by local artists and businesses, accompanied by a family "adventure guide" to locate the rabbits.

Last week the town debuted its trailside trolley, the mayor said, offering thanks to Chelsea from Birdie Boutique "for kind of leading this charge," and noting the trolley is part of broader transportation efforts downtown. The mayor described the Bunny Hop event on Good Friday as "super successful," saying it helped draw people into downtown businesses.

On funding, the mayor reported the city "received a check from Duke Energy Foundation to support the continuing efforts of streetscaping downtown," though the amount of the gift was not specified in the update. The mayor also announced that applications for ATAX grants are open and stressed that "these funds can only be used for tourism related activities," directing organizers with events to the city website for application details.

Looking ahead, the mayor said music in the park is scheduled for May and encouraged residents to attend. The update was informational; no votes or formal council actions were announced during the remarks.

The mayor’s office said additional details and application information are available on the city website.