.png)
.png)
Partners Login Only
As New Albany’s downtown celebrates over twenty-five years of substantial growth, New Albany Main Street continues working the four-point approach in the historic district as well in other areas of the city.
Organizing festivals, supporting the local farmers' market, partnering with the Union County Library to provide free community events, writing grants for park revitalization and public art, collaborating with garden clubs and schools to promote programs, and conducting work days with volunteer groups from the local Boys & Girls Club and The University of Mississippi are some of the many projects that New Albany Main Street has taken on to support as many of the residents of New Albany as possible.
Parks Initiative
Community playgrounds offer a multitude of benefits and are the heart of a community. Playgrounds provide children the opportunity to practice and hone key skills including social, emotional, cognitive and physical. Children are constantly learning through play—making new friends, sharing, taking turns and interacting with other children. This increased interaction with children of all backgrounds and abilities gives kids a more open view of the world and the opportunity to build new relationships.
NAMSA has been proactive in supporting playground revitalization. NAMSA partnered with Toyota Mississippi to update current equipment as well as install new swings and music instruments at South Central Park, located on the south side of New Albany. Alabama Street Park received a playground set through a grant written with KABOOM! and a generous donation from Kiwanis of New Albany.
Community Center
Built in 1935, New Albany’s Community Center has been home to school dances, children’s activities, and celebrations of every kind. After a visit from NAMSA staff in spring of 2020, a push to renovate and make improvements to the space began. Walls came down, new flooring was installed, and ADA compliant updates were made.
Since then, three outdoor gathering spaces and an overhaul of the back facade have taken place. Celebrations continue at the Community Center as well as children's art classes and weekly senior activities.
For information about renting the Community Center, contact New Albany Parks and Recreation at (662) 534-1006.
Arts Initiative
New Albany Main Street believes that public art adds enormous value to the cultural, aesthetic, and economic vitality of communities in the Hills Region. Public art contributes to our community's identity, fosters community pride and a sense of belonging, and enhances the quality of life for our residents and visitors.
Through funding from Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area and the National Park Service, NAMSA has been an integral contributor to public art which promotes the assets of the region in a manner that enhances exposure, education, and economic growth. Each year, NAMSA strives to engage local youth in artistic endeavors. NAMSA has held art competitions for the New Albany and Union County School Districts to determine the lighting of the Community Tree for Christmas and t-shirt festival designs.
Through funding from Mississippi Heritage Hills Alliance, NAMSA has hired local artists to create murals sculptures and high school art students to help with public murals and community art projects.Through funding from the Mississippi Arts Commission, NAMSA was able to offer seven months of art classes for over fifty local youth. Currently, NAMSA is working with two artists on murals for the key entries to our historic downtown district.
