Village of Fairport Lift Bridge Rehabilitation Project:
Fairport on the Rise!
When the Village of Fairport needed the public to know that the village would remain open for business during the yearlong Lift Bridge Rehabilitation Project, they turned to us for help. McDougall Communications partnered with Avery Marketing to develop and promote a campaign aimed at minimizing the impact of the bridge closure on village merchants. We created the “Fairport on the Rise” campaign to increase awareness and shift public perception of the Lift Bridge Rehabilitation Project through a bigger picture strategic communications plan celebrating Fairport’s transformation into a premier Finger Lakes/Erie Canal destination to live, work and visit.
Our work encompassed key message and storyline development, adapted for use with specific media outreach opportunities and coordination with the Village of Fairport for as needed access to leaders and supporters. Our media pitching and coordination resulted in maximum coverage—from live on-site interviews with Village of Fairport and NYS Department of Transportation officials to perspective from local merchants and residents. We created a “business as usual” narrative that resulted in 100 percent positive media coverage of the bridge closure and minimal impact on local businesses.
Our on-site media coordination during a ceremonial bridge lift event prior to closure achieved maximum publicity among local/regional TV, radio and print media.
Overall, the result has been mitigation of impact on community businesses and reputation to date.
Fairport on the Rise!
When the Village of Fairport needed the public to know that the village would remain open for business during the yearlong Lift Bridge Rehabilitation Project, they turned to us for help. McDougall Communications partnered with Avery Marketing to develop and promote a campaign aimed at minimizing the impact of the bridge closure on village merchants. We created the “Fairport on the Rise” campaign to increase awareness and shift public perception of the Lift Bridge Rehabilitation Project through a bigger picture strategic communications plan celebrating Fairport’s transformation into a premier Finger Lakes/Erie Canal destination to live, work and visit.
Our work encompassed key message and storyline development, adapted for use with specific media outreach opportunities and coordination with the Village of Fairport for as needed access to leaders and supporters. Our media pitching and coordination resulted in maximum coverage—from live on-site interviews with Village of Fairport and NYS Department of Transportation officials to perspective from local merchants and residents. We created a “business as usual” narrative that resulted in 100 percent positive media coverage of the bridge closure and minimal impact on local businesses.
Our on-site media coordination during a ceremonial bridge lift event prior to closure achieved maximum publicity among local/regional TV, radio and print media.
Overall, the result has been mitigation of impact on community businesses and reputation to date.
Village of Fairport Lift Bridge Rehabilitation Project:
The Lift Bridge Re-Opens
The Lift Bridge Re-Opens
In 2019, the Village of Fairport Office of Community and Economic Development (OCED) faced closing its iconic and highly-trafficked lift bridge to apply much-needed mechanical repairs. The project—originally due for completion in November 2020—was delayed to spring 2021 because of staffing complications and manufacturing-related delays brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The unexpected extension could have caused even greater concern surrounding the village’s navigation, accessibility, and impact on local businesses—issues that Fairport OCED had faced since the project’s inception.
Our team—in conjunction with Fairport OCED, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and New York State Canal Corporation—partnered to plan and execute a news conference and ribbon cutting ceremony, marking the completion of the long-awaited Lift Bridge Rehabilitation project. By conducting proactive media outreach through both traditional and earned media, we developed strategies that would be optimal to achieving our goals and objectives.
Despite the pandemic, our team was still able to successfully plan a news conference while adhering to CDC guidelines and procedures (e.g., social distancing, masking, and limited capacity) to announce the highly anticipated completion. We worked in partnership with the NYSDOT and the New York State Canal Corporation to plan the event and streamline all communications to local media, ensuring they were aware of the village’s upgrades.
While no one could have anticipated the challenges that would arise due to the global pandemic, our communications strategy exceeded all expectations. By staying focused on the long-awaited completion of the Lift Bridge Rehabilitation project and resulting Village upgrades, our efforts kept both residents and local businesses optimistic about Fairport’s future. Results to date include:
Our team—in conjunction with Fairport OCED, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and New York State Canal Corporation—partnered to plan and execute a news conference and ribbon cutting ceremony, marking the completion of the long-awaited Lift Bridge Rehabilitation project. By conducting proactive media outreach through both traditional and earned media, we developed strategies that would be optimal to achieving our goals and objectives.
Despite the pandemic, our team was still able to successfully plan a news conference while adhering to CDC guidelines and procedures (e.g., social distancing, masking, and limited capacity) to announce the highly anticipated completion. We worked in partnership with the NYSDOT and the New York State Canal Corporation to plan the event and streamline all communications to local media, ensuring they were aware of the village’s upgrades.
While no one could have anticipated the challenges that would arise due to the global pandemic, our communications strategy exceeded all expectations. By staying focused on the long-awaited completion of the Lift Bridge Rehabilitation project and resulting Village upgrades, our efforts kept both residents and local businesses optimistic about Fairport’s future. Results to date include:
- Maximum Media Coverage. Media representatives from print, radio and broadcast outlets all covered news following the celebratory Lift Bridge Rehabilitation press conference and ribbon cutting ceremony, including 13 WHAM, News 10 NBC, WROC TV-8, Spectrum News, WXXI, and the Democrat and Chronicle. Coverage that followed resulted in 2,778,267 impressions.
- Positive Message Carry. The press conference sparked 100% positive message carry that highlighted the new, exciting changes happening within the village, despite the unforeseen challenges brought on by the pandemic and project delays.
- Community Support. Our efforts sparked high levels of community support for the Lift Bridge Rehabilitation project and record turnout at the event. More than 500 Village residents lined South Main Street and the surrounding area to celebrate the lift bridge reopening and the completion of the project. Despite pandemic-related manufacturing and supply-chain challenges, the community rallied to get through it together.