MEADVILLE, Pa. – Nominated by the Meadville Community Revitalization Corporation (MCRC), the Arc of Crawford County received a 2026 Townie Award from Pennsylvania Downtown Center (PDC) for The Arc Community Greenspace. The project was honored in the Physical Improvements & Design: Public Space Improvements category.
MCRC Board President Amara Geffen and The Arc of Crawford County Executive Director Mark Weindorf accepted the award during PDC’s annual statewide conference in Erie. Geffen also served as the greenspace’s volunteer project manager and co-designer.
The award recognizes the transformation of a vacant, derelict property on Market Street into an inclusive, art-filled public gathering place for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and the broader community. The Arc of Crawford County acquired the former Meadville Club property at tax sale in 2018 and led the long-term effort to reclaim the site.
More than 13 stakeholder meetings and public-engagement events helped shape the community-inspired design. Completed and dedicated in 2024, the 0.22-acre greenspace includes an ADA-accessible walkway, shaded seating, solar umbrella tables with charging stations, native landscaping, public art, a small performance stage, public Wi-Fi and electrical infrastructure for events and food trucks. A painted walkway evokes Mill Run, the historic stream that flows beneath the site.
The greenspace has become a venue for arts, culture and wellness programming. Since 2019 – even before construction was complete – nearly 60 free public events have taken place there, organized by the community for the community.
The project was supported by The Arc of Crawford County, The Arc Foundation, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Community Conservation Partnerships Program in partnership with the City of Meadville, the RDLang Family Foundation, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the Art & Environment Initiative, and hundreds of volunteer hours. Additional partners supported the site’s murals and ongoing public programming.
PDC’s Townie Awards recognize projects, programs, events and individuals that advance revitalization in Pennsylvania’s downtowns, traditional business districts and nearby neighborhoods. The 2026 awards honored 18 recipients from PDC’s network of nearly 200 member organizations.
“The Townies are an opportunity for us to showcase our member communities and celebrate their incredible work in our commonwealth’s business districts and neighborhoods,” said PDC Executive Director Julie Fitzpatrick. “These award winners are true examples of why ‘Main Street Matters.'”
The Townie Award recognizes both the physical transformation of a blighted site and the sustained collaboration required to create a welcoming, active public space. MCRC congratulates The Arc of Crawford County and the many designers, contractors, funders, artists, volunteers and community members who brought The Arc Community Greenspace to life.
About the Meadville Community Revitalization Corporation
The Meadville Community Revitalization Corporation is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to revitalizing Greater Downtown Meadville. Through strategic partnerships, innovative projects and community engagement, MCRC works to enhance the economic, cultural and social vibrancy of downtown Meadville. Learn more at meadvillecrc.org.
About The Arc of Crawford County
The Arc of Crawford County promotes and protects the rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and supports their full participation in the community.
