Main Street pride: Goldsboro shows other communities what a downtown can be

A visitor from another city or town could not help but be impressed.

Goldsboro has worked mighty hard at sprucing up its downtown over the past few years, and it was all on display this week as delegates from other Main Street municipalities around the state came for their annual conference.

From the elegant Paramount Theatre at the south end of Center Street to the refurbished F-86 at the north end, downtown was something to be proud of, with its new brick sidewalks, smooth roundabouts, unique sculptures and fountain, sidewalk cafes and eye-catching storefronts.

The week of activities culminated Thursday evening with the rededication of the storied F-86 and a flyover by four F-15E Strike Eagles from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.

They put on quite a show. One that could not help underscore the tight relationship between the city and the base. It was a stirring sight for the hundreds of people, many of them from out of town, who witnessed it.

Goldsboro put its best foot forward this week, and anyone who took part in the planning and execution of the activities that showcased the work that has gone into revitalizing downtown deserves a pat on the back.

Published in Editorials on March 18, 2016 12:01 PM