RIDGWAY – The state is focusing attention on the region through
the PA Wilds and putting money, in the form of grants and loans, in
the hands of entrepreneurs.

During a meeting with various Ridgway community leaders on
Tuesday morning, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Secretary Michael DiBerardinis said “I think Ridgway, for the 20 or
so population centers in this area, this is the model for the whole
thing.”

The way the entire community came together to bring the downtown
back to life and how it has spread throughout the town shows other
communities what is possible with a lot of work and
partnerships.

Dale Lauricella, president of the Ridgway Heritage Council and
owner of the Towers Victorian Inn, gave a brief history of the
town.

“The Downtown Center played a really vital role,” Lauricella
explained. “Our focus for many years was around beautification. It
worked in a huge way.” She said that once the downtown started
coming back to life, the investment in private residents increased
as well as new businesses locating in the area. Since 1997, there
have been 37 new businesses, with a 73 percent retention rate. The
council has done 95 projects worth $245,000 and that brought about
$2-$3 million in private investments.

Advertising for the PA Wilds has helped increase the amount of
tourists coming through the area. Lauricella said her bed and
breakfast generates about $500,000 a year in the local economy. The
people visiting come from as far away as Washington, D.C., and
Philadelphia and spend at least $500 a weekend in the town. She
added they are seeing a lot of young people returning to the area
to live.

Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary
Dennis Yablonsky said that in marketing a small town like Ridgway,
it helps to find a connection. He recommended the Web site
Classmates.com as one way to find former residents.

Following the meeting, DiBerardinis and Yablonsky toured Ridgway
and met with business owners and others in the tourism field.
Yablonsky said that the governor has made it very clear that
economic growth will not just be about Philadelphia and Pittsburgh,
but will also help out the smaller communities throughout the
state. Just under $10 million has been given to get programs
started.

“We want to know what’s working and what isn’t working,” he
asked.

Steve Kronenwetter, owner of Wapiti Woods in Benezette, said
that he hasn’t had much support in this business.

“I haven’t had a visit from anyone. I have had a lot of help
from the state and from my bank. I wouldn’t have been able to
survive my first year without the state and my bank.”

Business owners Dick Garrard and Lou Smith echoed the problems
with getting local assistance. Garrard said he went to the Progress
Fund for help in relocating his existing business. He needed
$140,000 to complete the project. The interest they wanted was 8
3/4 percent and needed to be paid in 10 years.

“He wanted my life insurance policy and my house,” Garrard said.
“The mafia would do better. The state wouldn’t give me a damn
thing. This is where I am coming from.”

“We were turned down at every single door we knocked on,” Smith
said. “We were going to build a 40-bed lodge and were will to put
up half the money.” They ended up with only 20 beds at Scottish
Heights.

Liz Boni of Appalachian Arts Studio had a different experience.
She said they have seven loans out on their business.

“A year ago, we would never have thought this was possible,”
Boni said. At their recent grand opening, there were close to 600
people in the gallery and 70 percent of them were from out of
state.

“We are not going to lend money to the tourism sector,” Deborah
Pontzer of CNB bank said. “My duty as a director is to protect the
interest of the shareholders. If it wasn’t for the partnership, we
simply wouldn’t make these loans. They are far too risky.”

Don Masisak of North Central Regional Planning and Development
Commission said that since the inception of the First Industries
loan fund for tourism, North Central has witnessed an increased
level of activity and for the first time can provide comprehensive
service to the tourism-related entrepreneur. In the last 18 months,
they have been involved in 25 projects related to tourism and
outdoor adventures. These projects have generated $8.5 million in
investments that include $4.9 million in private investments, $1.8
million from the First Industries Fund and $1.8 million of other
public investments.

“The whole PA Wilds initiative has worked for me as a
businessman. I think that we are moving forward,” Kronenwetter
added.

“We wouldn’t be here if this wasn’t working,” Yablonsky said.
“The fact that we are here is the number of visitors to the Wilds
are way up. Now we are having growth problems. The need to figure
out a way to communicate to everyone what’s available has to be a
priority.”

“We don’t want to stop here,” DiBerardinis added. “If these key
issues don’t get addressed, we won’t be as successful. We are
really transforming the way to do business here, then across the
state.”