By Mike Finney

DOVER — If there’s something taking place in downtown Dover, it’s a good bet Tina Bradbury is involved somehow or another.

That’s because Ms. Bradbury is the operations manager for the nonprofit Downtown Dover Partnership, an organization tasked with revitalizing the Loockerman Street corridor for both merchants and visitors.

Ms. Bradbury, a 48-year-old single mother of two — Brianna is 23, and Cameron, 15 — can often be spotted at the farmers market, First Friday festivities, parades and anything else that brings visitors into the capital city.

“You might see me picking up a piece of trash, or you might see me over at a City Council meeting, so you never know,” Ms. Bradbury said, with a laugh. “My mission forward is coming to work every day to make a difference.”

She said her title simply means she has multiple DDP tasks.

“I am the behind-the-scenes person that can connect all the dots and make sure everybody is connected to the appropriate resource or liaison to assist them in navigating their way with whatever the process may be (to accomplish) what they’re trying to do,” Ms. Bradbury said. “I kind of hold the institutional knowledge on a lot of (downtown) properties, and then, I am the connector to the community.

“Individuals have a relationship to the community through me sometimes, especially if they’re a shut-in or if they aren’t home, and they need to know what’s going on. They know that they can look to me for information through the DDP’s webpage,” she added.

“I also talk to the merchants when they are staying involved and keep them apprised of any kind of program that’s available to assist them, whether it’s financially or a resource to help train them.”

Ms. Bradbury has been part of DDP for 12 years. She started out as a volunteer before serving on committees, then helped with the Capital City Farmers Market.

She eventually moved into the partnership’s office in the CenDel Community Building at 101 W. Loockerman St. and now does the operations and economic-development work for the organization.

Ms. Bradbury, a resident of Dover, thrives in the “hometown vibe” the city emits.

“I really enjoy the power of the community. Everybody comes together and rallies,” she said. “I like the unique history that we have here. I enjoy our mayor, (Robin Christiansen). I tell people that every time I talk to him, I learn something new about the history of Dover.

“I also enjoy the small-town charm that we have here. It’s a quaintness that you don’t find in other places that I travel. I always think that we are a well-connected community here.”

Ms. Bradbury did point out some things she would like to see Dover do as it evolves.

“I think that we have to find a way to find a balance to connect the old with the new,” she noted. “We have to move forward. We are the capital, and other capitals supersede us sometimes. We need to get to the future of what small towns are, like the smart cities and so forth, and figure out how to maintain that with historic charm.”

While she enjoys bringing entertainment and events to downtown Dover, she said there is still much more room for expanded experiences.

“I’d like to see more entertainment and cultural experiences here that will bring people to live here and want to stay here,” Ms. Bradbury said. “I’d like to bring people from the outside in to enjoy our town as much as the people that live here do.”

With the weather warming, Ms. Bradbury’s favorite annual citywide event is just around the corner: the Dover Days Festival on May 7.

She said she has participated every year as her kids have grown, enjoying the annual celebration of Dover’s historic heritage.

“Dover Days is my favorite annual event in the city, just because I like the history and seeing the costumes, and then, I have the recollections of my kids doing the maypole dances when they were little,” she said.

“Seeing (my kids) then and evolving and doing different events, ... (like) a sports team doing a (fundraising) booth or something. Again, you see that sense of community there, plus you see the older history of Dover being exemplified there.”