Plan GOShamokin

Shamokin is once booming post-industrial city located in Northumberland County that has struggled to maintain economic vitality since the decline of the mining and textile industries. The community of Shamokin craves to revitalize itself with fresh initiatives that enable community members to restore the lively nature by harnessing new opportunities, not just harkening to those of the past. Shamokin has recently seen an influx in tourism through the introduction of the Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area Authority (AOAA) which leased approximately 7,500 acres of former coal lands in the Shamokin area for the purposes of actively managing a family-friendly motorized and non-motorized recreation facility, as well as other major nearby tourism destinations, establishes the City as a legitimate and unique destination for regional recreation that attracts well over 1.3 million visitors per year to the combined destinations. Utilizing the renewed resources provides an advantageous opportunity for Shamokin as it embarks on economic and community revitalization efforts.
SGA led an effort to determine economic development strategies and thoughtful design initiatives to accomplish meaningful transformation. Shamokin is an inherently pedestrian friendly environment, and recommendations build upon the idea of getting people out of cars and walking around to patronize businesses, public spaces, and socialize with others. The plan focuses on a combination of public/civic realm investments in infrastructure and public spaces combined with programs and resources that can be tapped to partner with the private sector to stimulate building rehabilitation and business expansion. This layered approach to economic development emphasizing “placemaking” fosters the greatest potential for creating jobs, reducing crime, enhancing community pride, and elevating the overall quality-of-life for all of Shamokin’s residents.
For More Information: http://goshamokin.com/shamokin-revitalization-plan/