New buildings keep going up in Gays Mills and exciting new things are happening throughout the village.

The Gays Mills Main Street Group held its first meeting March 15 to begin planning enhancement projects for what is being referred to as the Historic River District. The focus was on current projects and goals, and how individuals and businesses can get involved in making a difference in Gays Mills.

“I was so pleased to see the creative energy and diverse representation of the Gays Mills community joining together to plan for improvements for Main Street and the various Gays Mills districts as a whole,” said Julia Henley, Gays Mills Recovery and Development Director. “We have so many doable and helpful projects that can start immediately to make a difference on Main Street,”

Some of the ideas that came from the March 15 meeting include murals and outdoor sculptures on Main Street, improved signage for the village, and various landscaping and lighting projects for Main Street and the Historic River District.  Play areas, seasonal display gardens, refurbishing of the historic log cabins and a landscaped trail system could all be part of the plan.

The group will meet again Wednesday, April 11 and invites anyone interested to come to the meeting, from  6 to 8 p.m.  at the new Gays Mills Community Commerce Center.

The meeting is planned to help refine ideas and plan the next steps. The format for this meeting will be to break into smaller teams for those interested in specific projects, and then to reassemble as the whole to keep the entire group informed. For more information contact Kay Smiley at 317-7508, or Allison Showen 735-4929.

Elsewhere in the village, the Gays Mills Area Economic Development Association (GMAEDA) recently announced an initiative focusing on the arts community.

Artists from Crawford, Vernon, Grant, and Richland Counties will be invited to exhibit their carving, woodworking, paintings, photography, sculpture and mixed media in a space to be designated as art gallery space in the soon-to-be-completed Gays Mills Mercantile Center. The Mercantile Center is located on Highway 131 in what is now being referred to as the Upland District. Beginning May 10, the exhibit space will function as a gallery from May to October, and then as a potential studio space from November to April.

For more information, contact Julia Henley, jHenley@GaysMills.org, or call 608-735-4341 (office) or  608-792-9994 (cell).