The North Main Community Association (NMCA) is composed of individuals and businesses in the North Main section of Greenville. This area is bounded by Stone Avenue, Wade Hampton Blvd., Pleasantburg Drive and part of Rutherford Road (map). More than 1,000 homes are in our neighborhood and many locally-owned businesses. Our Association was formed over 10 years ago by a handful of concerned neighbors who wanted to have a voice in development issues in our backyards. Membership has grown, as have the challenges faced by our Association. Currently only about 10% of our neighbors are members, yet our efforts affect all within our neighborhood.
Our Mission
The Association exists to represent the interests of neighbors in matters related to community development, public safety, and the North Main Rotary Park, as well as providing social functions for neighbors to get to know one another, including the annual National Neighborhood Night Out potluck dinner. During 2009, the Association dealt with several issues of concern to our neighborhood, including a proposed drug and alcohol treatment facility (Phoenix Center) at the site of the former Colonial Court motel on Wade Hampton and the 24 hour Waffle House being built on Stone Avenue close to Main Street. Efforts by several of our members in cooperation with other affected neighborhoods, including Dellwood, resulted in cancellation of plans for the Phoenix Center at this location. Unfortunately, we were not able to stop or significantly modify plans for a low income, multi-unit housing facility in the neighborhood directly behind Colonial Court. Former officers of our Association are involved with the City and the consulting planners in the planning phase of a development plan for Stone Avenue and that portion of Wade Hampton that intersects with Stone Avenue.
The NMCA has been instrumental in the continued development of North Main Rotary Park at Main Street and Ashley Avenue. We annually purchase and plant approximately $2000 worth of native plants for the park and have done so for a number of years. In cooperation with the City Parks Department, we have worked to remove undesirable vegetation and trash, place boulders along the stream bed area to better stabilize the soil, and maintain the baseball field and children’s play ground. Our park is a high priority with the Association because it serves all age groups, especially our children.
Goals for 2010
Our goals for 2010 are to continue development of our park, create a new and better website for our members, improve upon communication via our monthly e-newsletter, increase membership to be more representative of our neighbors and develop, in cooperation with the Greenville Police Department, a neighborhood watch program to help ensure the safety and security of our neighbors and their homes and businesses.
As an Association, we work to serve all residents and member businesses in our community, but we currently represent less than 10% of our neighbors. Ours is the largest neighborhood in Greenville, yet percentage-wise we are under-represented. You need to belong to the North Main Community Association in order to have a voice in what goes on in your neighborhood and so that you are an active part of your community. When things do not go quite right, it usually is because no one was paying attention. The officers and committees of the NMCA watch for and react to those things which affect your neighborhood and you need to be a part of it.
Join Today
The annual NMCA dues of $10 provide you with this opportunity as well as our e-newsletter and participation in our neighborhood park. Please be a part of it all by joining the NMCA: Become a Member Today!
Thank you, and we look forward to serving you.
Jim Gilreath
NMCA President
