MOULTRIE, Ga. — Downtown Moultrie announced Thursday that it is one of ten recipients for the Main Street Resiliency Grant.

The grant worth $8,500 is funded by Main Street America, a program by the National Main Street Center and National Trust for Historic Preservation. It is designed to aid downtowns by bringing economic vitality back to downtown, while celebrating their historic character, according to the Main Street America website.

In a Downtown Moultrie Facebook post, the group announced it intends to use the funds to open a Dining Breezeway between King’s Jewelry Store and Jack’s Medicine Man Vitamin Shoppe. The previously unused space will become an outdoor dining area complete with seating, tables, benches, decorative planters and bistro lighting.

Repairs to the roof must be completed before lighting will be installed and seating will become available, according to the Facebook post. The Moultrie Downtown Development Authority is already ordering the furniture and plans to have the breezeway decorated in about three to four months, according to Moultrie Downtown Development Director Amy Johnson. 

“We would like to say how truly thankful we are to the National Main Street Center,” Johnson said on Facebook. “This project they are helping fund will continue to enhance the overall look of our downtown, create a popular dining area, and provide a space for families and friends to socially distance in an open-aired environment.”