Greetings!

On behalf of the Heart of Biddeford HeartWorks master planning effort and the greater Biddeford community at large, I would like to say thank you for your continued and sustained interest in improving the wonderful and potential-rich City of Biddeford. The intent of this Blog post is to update all interested on where current efforts are at, as well as to explain how current energy is being spent.
The Steering Committee (the group that has been driving this ship since its inception) and the Advisory Council (the body that was created through the Request for Proposal process to oversee the implementation of the Plan) merged and now meet as one Advisory Council. The meetings have been underway for the past several months, and will continue to take place with the aim of addressing and tackling issues identified as critical to the success of our downtown. Here’s a list of those involved, and a summary of what’s happened to date:
Regular participants include:
Andy Michaud, Ann Thompson, Aurelie Wallach, Carolyn Gosselin, Dan DuCharme, David Flood, Dora St. Martin, Holli Andrews, Jennifer Boislard, Josephine Power, Patricia Boston, Patrick Venne, Zeke Callanan, and Mark Eyerman.
Other members of the committee include:
John Bubier, Bob Mills, Mark Nahorney, Carl Walsh, and Matt Hight.
Associate members include:
Daniel Stevenson and Greg Tansley
If we have neglected to mention any participant, we apologize; however, but the foregoing list should represent most of the continuous participants fairly well.
Here’s what we have been up to in the past several months:
Phase I & II of the Downtown Biddeford master planning effort are complete.
Phase I was Story Telling and Story Gathering, where Biddeford’s Values were uncovered. Here they are:
- Good for Families: Biddeford is a good place to raise a family. A strong sense of community, strong network of parents and good family lifestyle draws people here and many families have stayed for generations.
- History is Important: Biddeford has been an important hub of social and economic activity in the past. Many community members feel a special connection with Biddeford’s rich history.
- Diversity is a Plus: Residents like Biddeford’s variety. There are different kinds of people, distinctive neighborhoods and even diverse landscapes such as the ocean and the river.
- Biddeford is Making a Comeback: Biddeford is coming back to life. New shops and restaurants are opening up and some of the mills are being fixed up and turned into housing and businesses.
- Great Small Town Feel: Biddeford has a small town atmosphere that is highly valued by community members. Residents love to get together to socialize, have fun and share activities and interests.
Phase II was the Neighborhood Meetings and the Community Forum, which consisted largely of the assimilation of public input. Through the Neighborhood Meetings, 7 key Issues were identified, including (1) Safety, (2) Attractiveness, (3) Increasing Activity, (4) Embracing and Engaging Youth, (5) Creating a Vibrant Business Environment, (6) Improving Infrastructure, and (7) Conserving Natural Resources.
Phase III, which we are currently in, consists of devising the master plan itself. Creation of this document, planned and desired to be a “living” and flexible one, is slated to be completed by April 2011.
The Advisory Council, guided by Project Manager Zeke Callanan (HOB Executive Director) and Planning Consultant Mark Eyerman of Planning Decisions, Inc., with the assistance of Interns Holli Andrews and Patrick Venne from the Muskie School, will reach a final plan through the following activities:
(A.) Establishing a baseline community evaluation consisting of what resources we have at our disposal, what is working, what isn’t, and what could or should be in the future. This is accomplished through community input and baseline analyses.
(B.) In-depth dialogue and deliberation in order to synthesize public input so as to produce a workable approach toward organization of future efforts.
(C.) WorkShops regarding the issues of promoting responsible development, local economic development, social capital, conservation and preservation–all as influenced and guided by the values discerned through public outreach and participation. This part of the process specifically is an integral component of the planning process, and largely characterizes most current efforts.
As we move forward with Advisory Council meetings, here’s how we have approached things and what we have and will continue to focus on:
Since these issues were identified, the Advisory Council has been engaged in a process of determining whether and to what extent they recognize and encompass issues essential to the master planning process.
To that end, the following seven (7) WorkShops will address the identified issues in depth, each focusing on one issue. The first such WorkShop is planned for this Friday, November 5, 2010, and will address the issue of “public safety.” Advisory Council members have been asked to identify and bring key members of the local community and City Staff to this meeting in order to actively engage all parties without whom the topic of public safety downtown would be addressed in vain.
The intent of this WorkShop is to work constructively toward devising means for achieving key objectives as regards improving the perception as well as the reality of public safety in our downtown. We are beginning to turn what have thus far been identified as “values” in our community into more concrete and discernible “actions” aimed at achieving and securing those values.
This is an exciting time for the Downtown Biddeford master planning process, and for Downtown Biddeford in general. Please stay tuned for more updates on this blog as this effort continues to build momentum and move ever closer to our goal of strengthening and enhancing the downtown. Thanks for reading.
Sincerely,
HeartWorks Staff