Canadian receives cultural district designation

To an out-of-towner at first glance, it might seem like a misspelling of the United State’s northern neighbor - Canada.

The city of Canadian, however, is named after the river that flows through it.

The small town in the Texas Panhandle is known around these parts for its charming downtown and vibrant arts scene.

This city of 2,649 people is about 100 miles northeast of Amarillo. It is the county seat of Hemphill County, which altogether only has 3,807 people.

Last week, the Texas Commission on the Arts gave Canadian the distinction of being the northernmost, smallest and most rural cultural district in Texas.

Currently, there are 36 cultural districts throughout the state. Out of the eight applications for arts district status, only four are for recommended for designation: the Canadian Cultural District, the Historic Downtown McKinney Cultural District, the Old Spanish Trail Cultural Corridor in San Antonio and the Sherman Cultural District.

In her letter of support for Canadian's application, Beth Duke, executive director of Center City in Amarillo, wrote, "Canadian is a Panhandle jewel. Because of its remote location in the state of Texas, the citizens of Canadian have shown the pioneer spirit in creating their own traditional and cultural assets. Canadian's sophistication in the art community is an unheralded treasure and a happy surprise to find in a city with a small population."

Kat Decker, director of marketing and design for the Hemphill County Economic Development Corp. and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, said she was excited about the news.

“The chamber is proud that Canadian has received this Cultural District designation and excited about the opportunities it presents to our community,” she said.

The application was developed by members of the Cultural Arts and Recreations Enhancement (CARE) Commission, headed by Wendie Cook and Kim McKinney, with contributions from Mistie Walser, Doug Ricketts and Jonathan Frederick. Canadian's score was 938 out of 1,000.

Work toward the application began more than a year ago.

"On behalf of Canadian's Cultural District application committee, we say a collective 'Hooray!' for this state designation success," said CARE Commission chair Wendie Cook. "Our committee has worked very hard over the last 18 months to achieve cultural recognition for our city, a first for our community. Along with statewide marketing, this distinction earns Canadian a seat at the table for additional grants and programs unavailable without this designation. That will most certainly enhance our existing arts, cultural and western heritage assets, and will help increase tourism dollars and the economic benefit."

The designation was one of 10 goals of the Comprehensive Plan adopted by the city of Canadian in November 2016, according to a released statement.

The evaluators said they were impressed that the Canadian-Hemphill County EDC supported the development of the cultural district, and remain committed to the success of the effort. Other support came from local arts organizations and local artisans, as well as regional entities, including the Amarillo Area Foundation, the Texas Plains Trail, and Center City in Amarillo.

In the application, Canadian listed 39 artisans who live and/or sell in the district boundaries. The core assets map includes 58 designated points, identifying area museums, recreation areas, venues, historic homes and architecture, historic churches, fine arts and cultural studios and public art.

According to the TCA website, cultural districts are special zones that harness the power of cultural resources to stimulate economic development and community revitalization. These districts can become focal points for generating businesses, attracting tourists, stimulating cultural development and fostering civic pride.