A lifelong resident of Reading, Charles "Chuck" Broad feels it is as much a part of him as a hometown can be for anyone — and he has given back to his community in many ways. When he retired in 2008 after more than 30 years as a Reading police officer (three of those as chief of police), he assumed his current role as executive director of the Downtown Improvement District. Broad is also a history buff who enjoys taking trips with wife Christine to significant sights near and far — when he’s not busy working to preserve and create history here.
Q: You’ve been in Reading all your life?
Yes. I was born and raised here. I grew up in Glenside and went to Reading High and have two degrees from Alvernia. We now live in College Heights. I like that I live where I work and have lived here all my life. This community means a lot to me.
Q: I’m guessing you are often asked what the Downtown Improvement District does.
Yes, and my reply is that the name is self-explanatory. Basically our purpose is to set up an environment downtown – a safe, clean environment – that encourages business to stay in the city, attracts new businesses to the downtown area, and welcomes people for shopping, dining and events. We want to create constant activity that fosters community and growth.
Q: I guess your work as a policeman helps with the safety part, but what has been challenging?
Cleaning up. You’re right. I know about security, but creating that clean environment was new to me, and it’s important to making the downtown successful. Three years ago, we began contracting with a cleaning company that also handles bigger cities like Los Angeles, New York and Chicago, and it’s been good. I’ve also learned about planning events – from booking entertainers and food vendors to what activities attract happy crowds.
Q: Do you have a favorite event?
I’d say the Fire and Ice Festival every January is my favorite because I helped develop it. It’s been wonderful to see it grow since we started in 2015. I’ve seen people dancing in the streets at 11pm on a Friday night in 28-degree weather – with smiles on their faces, which was amazing and makes the planning worth it.
Q: What do you do for fun when you’re not working?
My wife and I like going out for dinner and a movie. I like to watch TV shows about history. In fact, we took many car trips when our kids were growing up to historic places. The kids would ask, "how many dead people’s houses are we going to see this time?" [laughs] We still take those trips, the two of us; I find history fascinating.
Q: It seems to me you are keeping history – like the tradition of the Reading holiday parade – alive and making some too, with the events the DID hosts. Would you agree?
I like to think so. We’ll have what may be a new tradition this fall, horse-drawn wagon rides for our PumpkinPalooza event. We’re partnering with the GoggleWorks, so the carriages will carry people from Fifth and Penn streets to the GoggleWorks and back. It should be fun. And memorable.
