Property owners on the Decatur Square have been removing and replacing old awnings over the past couple of months. These awning replacements are coming in the wake of tragedy that struck two Bridgeport High School seniors during the first week of school this fall.
The two girls were members of the cross country team. They were taking a jog through downtown Bridgeport when the awning above The Gym collapsed on them. The impact instantly killed Leslie Denison, 17, and seriously injured her best friend Becca Logan, 17.
The accident caused the city of Bridgeport to conduct a safety study on other storefront awnings in town, leading to the replacement of the awning of a restaurant adjacent to The Gym's.
But the accident in Bridgeport had nothing to do with the upgrades to some of the awnings in Decatur.
"It's a coincidence in timing," said Main Street director Frieda Hanley. "But it was a wake-up call to all business owners to have them checked out."
The entire western side of the Square had its awnings removed and is in the process of having new ones installed. Some businesses on the east side replaced theirs even before the accident in Bridgeport occurred.
The Decatur Main Street program offers small grants for businesses upgrading their facades. The program in Bridgeport has offered such funds for the past two years. Only Farmer's Insurance and Sagebrush Cafe have taken advantage of the program.
