Imagine Morrisville Seeks to Bring Possibilities to Fruition for Historic Riverside Town Trying to Move Forward

Visualize …for a few moments a multi-level semi-circle theater where some of the hottest productions past and present take place in a setting that pays homage to Morrisville Borough’s history and connection to our founding fathers and the Revolutionary War.

Envision leaving the theater and making your way to a rooftop dining experience where the Stockham Building stands today and all the tables have that perfect view of the night time sky, on an exquisite Spring night, where you can take in the sites and sounds while a Jazz Quartet “be bops” its way through a set that resonates from a time past.

Can you see that?

Imagine Morrisville (IM) is a group of Morrisville residents and friends that want to lift up the positive aspects of life in the riverside town.

“We see a bright future for our town, so we support the arts, encourage restaurants, and promote community activities and service opportunities” the group says on its website 

IM wants locals to imagine everything and anything that can be brought to fruition and materialize into something special that brands Morrisville in a new way. This is just like the renaissance that has taken place in Bristol Borough in recent years. The community-based group’s mission is to champion projects that elevate quality of life, celebrate local talent, and foster civic pride in Morrisville.

The group is a private entity and will not seek funding at the municipal level, Imagine Morrisville officials said. Councilwoman Melissa Johnson serves as treasurer and is a part of the Imagine Morrisville Board of Directors.

President of Imagine Morrisville, Tom Wisnosky has been a resident with his wife for 39 years now, even serving a term as the Borough’s Mayor. He and the group of dedicated professionals/stakeholders are imagining the possibilities for the historic riverside town. They are  endless at the moment, he says.

President of Imagine Morrisville Tom at Wisnosky at lhe May Council meeting

Imagine Morrisville held its unofficial “coming out party” at the May Council meeting. Coinciding with the “coming out party” was the release of a revamped, updated look for the website. This includes a vibrant color scheme that speaks directly to imagination. To that end at the council meeting and in our post-Memorial Day conversation you could feel Wisnosky’s excitement on the phone. A media veteran himself, there was very little caution about hopefulness as a result of a $60,000 grant the group obtained plus outside donations to complete a six-month feasibility study started contracted out to DLR Group, out of the firm’s New York City offices which, he says, will be thorough and finely detailed.

Credit: State Sentarseiro’s office

Wisnosky expressed his gratitude for the help state Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-Bucks) and state Rep. Jim Prokopiak (D-Bucks) had in securing funding for the study. Those funds were integral to getting this from “a great idea” to the practicality of getting it done.

It was “truly wonderful” they went to bat for us like that, Wisnosky said.

Credit: Visit Bucks County

“I worked with Rep. Jim Prokopiak to secure funding for Imagine Morrisville to conduct a feasibility study on a new theater project, that would lift up the arts in Morrisville,” Santarsiero said about the funding to the group on his socials last month.

The DLR Group study, Wisnosky said, has already launched and started interviewing stakeholders in recent weeks. According to Wisnosky, the Q and A sessions dive into topic areas in granular detail. As an organization we’re just putting one foot in front of the other and remaining hopeful, yet realistic about what the study will tell us. Imagine Morrisville officials said they expect a mid-summer “update” with a final report release in September.

Bristol’s Sunday Stroll draws huge crowds from all over the region and has become an event staple held at the riverside town
Credit: Jeff Bohen, Lower Bucks Source

The study besides interviewing 30 stakeholders of interest will take a 30,000 foot view so to speak of facilities within a 30-mile radius of Morrisville; what kind of facilities exist, environmental practicability, economic sustainability, of for example an outdoor auditorium, but on a smaller scale, like the one at the Bristol Township Municipal Complex or an indoor multi-level theater.

Credit: Jeff Bohen, Lower Bucks Source with a big assist from Shot of Southern Roadies

The indirect message is what Imagine Morrisville has learned from watching Bristol Borough transform from a town on the comeback trail. It is now a place to be for events, dining, theater, and then some. Wisnosky said he met and consulted with President of Bristol Boroughs’ Raising the Bar Bill Pezza who at the very least was a dynamic force in creating not only the perception of Bristol being a place to be, but the current day reality of it.

Wisnosky knowing full well rumor mongering can disrupt progress of any kind, clearly and concisely wanted to make known Imagine Morrisville has no plans dealing with or addressing Williamson Park and Patriots Park.

Nothing we are doing involves the (Williamson) park at all.

Credit: Joanne Ames – Lower Bucks Source

We need to do something to change the perception and reality of Morrisville Borough, Wisnosky said. We’re (Imagine Morrisville) not responsible for fixing roads or other infrastructure issues. Our mission is dedicated to enabling Morrisville Borough to achieve its potential as the perfect place to visit, work, and live through developing and promoting the arts. By building on our heritage and realizing the advantages inherent in our unique location, Imagine Morrisville’s goal is to create a welcoming pedestrian-friendly town, build partnerships, and engage the community as we facilitate projects that promote the arts, tourism, and business, he said.

Borough administration, under the guidance of Jim Dillon as interim manager, has sought to respond to many of the infrastructure challenges it faces.  With the apparent focus of addressing community concerns and  to make Morrisville attractive to visitors, which in turn will bring folks to historical sites, events, and business’,  to spend cold hard cash. 

This effort, he said, is going to require serious fundraising efforts and that’s when Imagine Morrisville will put its secret weapon to work in the form of  Joan DeBien-Trammel who serves as vice president on the Imagine Morrisville Board. Trammel possess a skill set deals with marketing, fundraising, public relations and will be an integral force in putting those skills to work for Imagine Morrisville in the coming days, weeks and months, Wisnosky said.

Perhaps, just perhaps, the recent “devastating news” about the Stockham Building’s possible demolition, is actually an opportunity that years from now the locals will talk about in terms of serendipity, with Imagine Morrisville somehow getting a hold of the property, making what was once imagined into actualized.