Lock Haven’s Pedestrian Mall Extended through Oct. 31

By Scott Johnson

LOCK HAVEN – The city’s pedestrian mall will continue until Oct. 31, weather permitting.

During a Zoom meeting Monday night, council decided unanimously to extend the closure of East Main Street from its original ending date of Sept. 26. The action came after Downtown Lock Haven Inc. requested the extension. That request was backed by the Clinton County commissioners, according to City Manager Greg Wilson.

Wilson added, the request came after discussions were held with DTL Inc., the Clinton Country Economic Partnership and the city’s Department of Community Life.

Kasey Campbell, Department of Community Life director, provided council members with the result of a recent survey of those in the central business district and the outer areas of the city.

She described the results of the survey of 34 businesses as “a mixture” of positive and negative comments, “but mostly positive.” In addition, Campbell said, business owners were invited to three meetings held at the DTLH office.

She said not only were the results, “mostly positive,” it will help the city in its communication with business owners into next spring and summer, “because we don’t know how long this will last.” Further, Campbell noted, she has met recently with U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) not only to help out Lock Haven, but to help out other businesses and communities nationwide.

“This is unusual year,” Wilson said in likely the understatement of the night “The city is not in the business of hosting events.” He noted the city was not responsible for any advertising of the events and did not pay for any bands for the Summer Concert Series. Those events are all paid for through private donations, he said.

Concilman Bill Mincer did note that most all of the written comments on the survey did not favor extending past Oct. 8. Campbell said DTLH Inc. would provide all of the logistics, and the state has informed her there will not be an issue in extending the road closure until Oct. 31
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The closure is in effect from 3 p.m. Fridays until 9 p.m. Saturdays. “We can provide the facility, but they need to provide the events,” said Councilman Steve Stevenson.