Happy 101 Years, Waynedale! – From The Publisher
Can you feel it? It’s the beginning of a new era in the Waynedale community!
On February 15, 2022, Waynedale celebrated its 101st year since it’s founder, Abner Elzey, began the unincorporated town on that day in 1921. We have come a long way since the era of country stores, dirt roads, and horses.
Our community of more than 10,000 residents (and growing) is a stunning representation of the vision that began over a century ago. Once an aging farm town on the outskirts of the “big” City of Fort Wayne, Waynedale is now an emerging hub for industry, transportation, and entertainment.
It is so exciting to know that we have many developments to look forward to throughout our community. Over the years, we have watched the airport grow from its humble beginnings to now accommodating travelers coming from around the world. New buildings and construction, such as Amazon, BAE and others along Airport Expressway and the outlying factory district continue to be on the rise and with them come many more well-paying jobs. This also means a higher desire for all those workers to want to live in our community to lessen their work commute. Quimby Village is a-buzz with the “Sweet” restaurant, café and best of all concert venue at the Clyde. Not only does the revitalization of the shopping complex give us more options for things to do on this side of Fort Wayne, but it has breathed new life into a once dying area of our community that now has many more shops than it has in recent memory. Not to mention many developing attractions and areas just a short drive or bike ride away, like Electric Works, Southeast Fort Wayne, Downtown and more!
Most importantly to note, what we can look forward to in the coming years is all the new small businesses. In Waynedale, we have more options than ever for shopping, local food, and other unique shops started by entrepreneurs who have opened their doors to offer their skills and products to our community. It’s endearing to think about how many of these small business owners had faith in our community so much so that they would take the entrepreneurial “leap” during a time of pandemic and economic decline. If you haven’t slowed down to notice all the new businesses on Lower Huntington Road, Bluffton Road, and in the shopping complexes, it is quite a fun adventure to see what’s new!
All told, what really makes a community great are the people. It’s what we do here to make our neighborhoods safe and plentiful. It’s participating in community events to celebrate our community as neighbors. It’s fighting for what is right and what should be improved. In every moment, all of this shows we care!
Just wait, Waynedale is entering the dawn of a new height of its development and it’s possible that it will see quick growth as the city continues to develop around our neighborhoods. At The Waynedale News, we are very proud of the position that our community is in and can’t wait to see what the future holds. We have so much gratitude for the many people who volunteer and join local initiatives to improve our community. And a big thank you to all who have stepped up to support and donate to save Waynedale businesses during the past two years.
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- Standing Against The Test Of Time ~ Waynedale Celebrates 103 Years - February 16, 2024