Activated Alley aims to bring new life to downtown Texarkana
TEXARKANA — After years of planning and brainstorming creative ideas, Activated Alley is on the road to becoming a reality.
Thanks to local figures such as local historian Dr. Beverly Rowe, Leadership Texarkana and artists, a plan is being put into action so the community can enjoy creative spaces while walking along Broad and Front streets.
Approximately seven years ago, Rowe, a Texarkana College professor, floated the idea of an art concept for downtown alleyways. However, public interest was low at the time and costs were exponential, said Chris Bachers, an organizer of Activated Alley.
Recently, with the opening of the 1894 Gallery and Downtown Live, local artists and residents have taken the initiative to ensure these spaces become “activated.” Bachers and others are modeling their actions on the creative alleyways that he said are found in more populated urban cities.
“Now is the time to help define how downtown develops,” Bachers said.
Leadership Texarkana has also been instrumental in taking the project further. Manny Western has organized fellow Leadership alum to assist with Activated Alley, including Friday’s “soft opening” during Downtown Live that featured a bicycle tour of the art space. directly behind the Kress Gap on Broad Street.
The alley is a short distance from the 1894 Gallery, Hotel Grim and many local bars and eateries, making it an ideal location to launch the project, organizers said. The goal is to transform alleyways with lighting, art and other creative mediums to encourage people to walk downtown and enjoy themselves.
“It’s as much about safety as it is about beauty,” Bachers said.