Bardstown City Council approves festival requests,demolition of Vic-Tone building

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Tuesday, July 27, 2021 — The building that was home to one of the Bardstown’s longtime businesses was approved for demolition by the Bardstown City Council Tuesday evening.

The council approved a Historic Review Board recommendation to allow the demolition of the former Vic Tone Cleaners building at 307 North Third St.

According to Jack Barnes, who owns the property with his brother, Bill Barnes, the building and its foundation must be removed in order to allow cleanup and removal of perchloroethylene, the primary dry cleaning solvent otherwise known as “perc.”

The removal of the building will be followed by the environmental clean-up of the contaminated soil. Once the clean-up operation is completed, Barnes said the property would be left in grass until the property is sold.

The existing asphalt parking lot is unlikely to be disturbed, he explained.

According to the Nelson County PVA records, the 1,450 square-foot building was built in 1920, and served as a gas station prior to its purchase by the Barnes family as part of its dry cleaning operation. The Barnes brothers’ father, Harvey Barnes owned and operated Bardstown Laundry & Dry Cleaners which was located for many years in the 700 block of North Third Street across from the current location of Sonic Drive In.

EVENTS, TOURISM RETURNING. As Bardstown and Nelson County emerge from the pandemic, tourism has started to rebound and local organizers are planning to return to live, in-person events and festivals.

At its meeting Tuesday evening, the Bardstown City Council approved the usual set of planned street closures necessary for the Bourbon City Street Concert — set for Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021 — and the 40th annual Arts, Crafts & Antiques Festival set for Oct. 9-10, 2021.

CHEERS TO BARDSTOWN. The council also approved requests to close East Flaget and connected alleys for a new, free event that will take place during the Kentucky Bourbon Festival and will be open to the public.

Cheers to Bardstown begins on Thursday evening, Sept. 16 and runs through Saturday evening, Sept. 18, 2021. The event will feature live music each day, opportunities to shop, enjoy craft vendors, special cocktails, food trucks, and more.

According to the request from Bardstown Mainstreet, the Bardstown-Nelson County Chamber of Commerce, and Bardstown-Nelson County Tourism, Cheers to Bardstown will celebrate the community’s bourbon heritage and culture, and will include special distillery experiences.

The event will take place at the Farmer’s Market pavilion and parking lot, as well as the Town & Country Bank parking lot across the street. The organizers are asking to close East Flaget between North Third Street and North Second Street.

LATE NIGHT FRIDAY MARKETS. The council also approved a request by the Bardstown Mainstreet program to sanction 2nd Friday Late Night Market events planned for 4-8 p.m. on the second Fridays in August, September and October.

The event will take place at the Farmers Market Pavillion and feature up to 20 craftsmen, artists and woodworking vendors, local food vendors and entertainment.

Local retailers are being asked to remain open late as well on these dates. The council’s official sanction of the events will open the door for the event to allow food trucks to participate.

DONATION REQUEST. The council reviewed a $5,000 donation request from the Bardstown-Nelson County African American Heritage Museum,

The organization, represented by the Rev. Jewell Brock, opened in June and is dedicated to telling the history of people of color whose work helped make Bardstown and Nelson County the community it is today.

Due to the number of expected donation requests this calendar year, Bardstown Mayor Dick Heaton suggested approving a donation of $3,000 this calendar year, then revisiting this request next calendar year for the balance.

The council approved Heaton’s recommendation.

In other business, the council:

— approved the use of the City Hall lawn and parking lot for the Bardstown Rotary Club’s annual Kids’ Day event on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021.

— approved the requested street closures for the annual Tri-County United Way Spirit 5k walk/run on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021.

— approved appointing Stephanie Harrison to fill the unexpired three-year term of Karen Scout on the Bardstown-Nelson County Human Rights Commission.

— approved a long list of Certificates of Appropriateness recommendations.

NEXT UP. The next Bardstown City Council meeting is 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021, in the council chambers adjacent to the Rec Center gym on Xavier Drive.

-30-