The Main Street Program is a national initiative to help communities rebuild their central business districts and re-establish them as centers of activity. In Connecticut, this program is generously sponsored by The Connecticut Light and Power Company (CL&P).

    The object of the program is to promote economic development through local ownership, personal service, appropriate architectural design and encouraging a sense of community. It offers a wide spectrum of services to achieve this goal, including special resources from the National Main Street Program, and the advice of experts well versed in the field of revitalization.

    Membership in the Main Street Program is highly competitive, and Portland was actually refused during our first application. Our efforts made quite an impression, however. Thanks to the members of PRIDE and the cooperation of the Town Planning Department, and many others, our second application was accepted. Indeed, it was remarked by the evaluators that Portland had shown more enthusiasm and dedication to the concepts of Main Street development than most applicants. 

    One major accomplishment of this effort was the raising of funds to hire a full time Main Street Program Director. With the Director's guidance and expertise, and the dedication of the PRIDE membership we anticipates significant gains within the next two years.