Today we visited Connellsville and met with Dan Cocks and Michael Edwards, and they took us on a tour of Fayette County. Their town is similar to Carrigart Ireland, in the sense that it also has seasonal tourism and relies on tourists to come and visit the bike trail in Yough River Park. The Fayette County Cultural Trust aims to improve the overall quality of life in Connellsville by enriching their economy. They do this by showcasing their history, natural assets, and through partnerships within the community. One thing that stood out to me during their presentation and tour was the word “welcome”. This represents their community, as it seeks to capture the attention of tourists, and welcome them by giving them a sense of belonging while they stay there. A great example of this is their Comfort Inn, which is ranked second in the country. This is because of the environment they foster to give guests a valuable experience. The hotel was a new project and was built to hold the growing tourists that come to Fayette County during the summer months. It holds 50 rooms and is fully booked during their busier months. We also took a walk along the scenic bike trail, also called the GAP route, which is a part of a wider route system that connects Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. and passes directly through the center of Fayette County. Along the way, we stopped at a stain glass arch to tie in with the factory we saw this morning, which is one of the few in the country. The bike trail brings in a lot of tourists because of its beautiful scenery and appeal during summer.

Unfortunately, Fayette County has been defunded from several of its grants that have previously helped out the community. They needed to get creative with ways to boost the economy and one way they have done this is through partnerships. They have further developed schools, hotels, restaurants, and even a theater. We took a short tour of the theatre room in one of the buildings and I was impressed to learn that they hand painted the whole thing themselves. That just goes to show the dedication and involvement Dan Cocks and Michael Edwards have to helping their community. One-way Carrigart Ireland can learn from Connellsville is how they revitalized its downtown area by restoring historic buildings. Carrigart is rich in history and can use that to its advantage when trying to attract tourists.