Revitalization for a Greater Gretna (RGG) is a non-profit organization which was formed by a group of concerned citizens in Gretna, Virginia. The group recognized the need for revitalization in our small town and have been actively planning for improvements and perusing grants since 2005.

Some of RGG’s accomplishments to date:

 · Signs have been erected marking the old F & P Railroad bed.  

· New sign has been designed for west entrance to town. 

· Working with local Garden Club and an Eagle Scout to design and plant a small park 

 near the Post Office to be designated as “Jeremiah’s Corner”.

Other accomplishments are as follows:

• Organized town wide cleanup with help of town employees.
• Organized movie nights to bring people into town.
• Partnered with Chamber of Commerce to open a satellite office in American National Bank.
• Designed and sold calendar “Back in Time” as a fund raiser.
• Designed and sold two wooden replicas - “Gretna Town Depot”and “Yates Tavern”- as fund raisers. A limited number of Yates Tavern are still available.
• The third replica in this series - “Elba Hotel”- is planned for this fall.

The 5K Race was held on May 12th in the town. Foodland agreed to be our main sponsor for the event and many other businesses signed on as additional sponsors. We are planning to make this an annual fund raiser for our group due to its success. 

RGG members have a Wish List of projects to improve the appearance of Gretna. Streetscape improvements and creating bike/pedestrian enhancements will attract businesses and visitors to town. Some of the items on the Master Plan are:

• Bike Path/Widened Shoulder to link downtown to a new park on the Hedrick property.
• New sidewalk along Dalton Street, new crosswalks and repairs to sidewalks along Main and Leftwich Streets for pedestrian traffic, creating a walking loop.
• Historic street lighting in a distinctive railroad style with arms to accommodate hanging baskets.
• Outdoor benches and bike racks at strategic locations
• A farmer’s market Funding for these projects will come from multiple grant sources.

  

  

Significant fund raising activities by RGG are a critical component of grant applications. Demonstrating the ability to raise funds through local support will increase our ability to receive funding. Please consider making a tax deductible donation to RGG and working with our revitalization efforts. Many local people come into town to walk and we hope that they too will support our efforts to improve the safety and beauty of our streets.

RGG meets every 4th Tuesday at 7:30 pm at the American National Bank - Chamber of Commerce office. All citizens of the Gretna area are urged to attend. By working together, we can make Gretna a thriving town again. Get on board!