By Wesley Harris
Motorists found a smoother Main Street in downtown Dubach this week after the town used a $35,000 state grant for a paving project.
Most of Main Street was repaved over the weekend, adding to recent improvements in the downtown area.
The work comes as the restoration and reopening of the historic Gem Theater has brought new attention and traffic downtown. The theater reopened in May after being closed since 1963.
Patrons attending movies and other events at the Gem have brought additional vehicles to parking areas around the theater. Pavement was also poured on the block of Hico Street containing the theater as part of the restoration project.
The Main Street work was funded through a 2024-25 Local Government Assistance Program grant. Mayor Mona Wilson said the town originally planned to use the grant last year, but the funds were placed on hold.
“Now that they are released, the Town Council decided to use it for the downtown paving project,” Wilson said.
Town officials had considered using the money for either water system improvements or paving.
“Our choices were water upgrades or paving,” Wilson said. “We chose to pay for the $39,500 in water system upgrades out of our water/sewer account and use the LGAP funds to do the paving.”
Wilson said she hopes the current work will lead to additional improvements.
“I hope to reapply for another LGAP grant once this project is complete and hopefully finish the paving and parking of all of downtown,” she said.
The current paving project covered Main Street from the First Guaranty Bank driveway to Boulevard Street.
The paving is the latest change in a downtown that has seen renewed activity since the Gem reopened May 22 following a three-year restoration. The theater had not shown a movie in more than six decades.
Wilson said outside funding is particularly important for a small municipality.
“Grants are limited in a small town. However, I try to apply for all grants I am made aware of and we have a need for,” she said.
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