Durant received seven finalist nominations for the 20th annual Oklahoma Main Street Awards announced Friday. The Oklahoma Main Street Program will honor Main Street communities, organizations and individuals for their outstanding achievements in 22 areas of importance to the overall Main Street program.

Over 250 entries were nominated in 22 competitive award categories; the number of entries is a record. The Board Member of the Year from each town will be recognized, as well as the Main Street Manager of the Year, a Crowining Achievement for each community, and the 2009 Friend of Main Street.

Durant’s nominations receiving finalist status were:

Durant Main Street (best volunteer development)

Durant High School Service Learning Project (youth involvement)

Main Street Coffee Bar (façade rehab over $10,000)

Marie’s (best business practices)

Skating on the Square (creative new event)

Skating on the Square (community education/public awareness)

Donna Dow (Program Manager)

Durant received their first statewide award in 2002 for Best Community Education/Public Awareness. The award was for the Web site www.durantmainstreet.org. In 2003, awards were received for Outstanding Program Administration, Best Results in Strengthening Businesses and Top Economic Restructuring Project (The Group Health Insurance Program). The two local awards receiving finalist status in 2004 were both chosen as winners. The Three Valley Museum received recognition for Best Façade Renovation Over $10,000, and the Pool Hall/Domino Parlor was awarded Best Façade Renovation Under $10,000.

In 2006, Mega Bull was named the Best Creative Fundraising Effort and Three Valley Museum received honors for Best Interior Renovation.

Newman Furniture won the Window Display award in 2007. In 2008, Roma Italian Restaurant was named Best New Business and Market Square won Best Public Improvement.

The annual awards banquet will be held on Tuesday, May 19, in Oklahoma City at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.

Approximately 600 guests are expected to celebrate achievements in our Downtown. This year’s theme is “Brand New Main Street” to celebrate the 20th awards banquet for Oklahoma Main Street. Finalists will be highlighted, and winners will be announced at the event.

Durant Main Street Program Manager Donna Dow commented, “Downtown Durant has a lot of volunteers, activities, business owners and building owners who deserve the awards. We’re especially excited about our businesses being finalists. This speaks to the strength of our Downtown.

“We also had some strong nominations from other businesses and organizational efforts that didn’t receive top billing, and we are proud of these projects as well. Of course, the volunteer and ice rink awards go hand in hand and we have received overwhelming response from the rink.”

Newkirk received nine finalist nominations. Durant and Enid received seven each. The Oklahoma Main Street Program is a statewide downtown revitalization program providing training, resources and technical assistance to 41 active Main Street communities across Oklahoma. Main Street’s preservation-based approach to business district revitalization has been scaled to the resources of small cities and urban neighborhood business districts. The Four Point Approach (Organization, Promotion, Economic Restructuring and Design) is used, and committees represent each point.

Starting with many small changes taking place over a period of years, Main Street builds local leadership and local commitment to care for and manage the area for many years. The groundwork laid by the local leadership demonstrates that the district is active and vital, attracting more investments into the area.

For information on attending the banquet, call the Durant Main Street Program at (580) 924-1550.