RUMFORD – Some wanted the traffic flow on Congress Street to become one-way. Others did not.
Most wanted more ordinances developed that would help improve the business environment; a few disagreed.
And most didn’t like the idea of hiring an economic development director to improve the economic climate, preferring to rely on the River Valley Growth Council.
These were a few of the likes and dislikes, wants and don’t wants voiced by nearly four dozen people at Tuesday night’s public forum by the Downtown Revitalization Committee. It was led by the group’s consulting firm, Brian Kent Associates of Gardiner.
For an hour, attendees heard of preliminary thoughts already developed by the committee. Then they went to work themselves.
At issue is the development of a downtown revitalization plan for the Congress Street/Rumford island area and the Waldo/Cumberland streets area.
Residents divided into groups of 11 or 12, then identified the most important issues for both Congress Street and Waldo/Cumberland streets.
For the Waldo Street area, the issues most often identified included the quality of housing, with a few advocating tearing down some of the buildings; the need for beautification through street landscaping; the lack of public green space; and improved parking for businesses and residents. All groups advocated keeping the area as mixed residential and business use.
“An association needs to be started there to get people involved,” said group leader and Revitalization Committee member William French.
The major concerns for Congress Street and the island area included the loss of businesses and the need for an improved business climate, traffic flow in that immediate area and along some of the side streets, greater use of public space, parking, building facade improvements and beautification of the back-side streets.
“Canal and River streets are the first things anyone sees from Route 108 and Falls Hill,” said group leader Peter DeFilipp. “Beautification would improve first impressions.”
Kent Associates will take the group results, as well as information gathered on the distributed surveys, analyze the data, then devise a redevelopment plan. Additional surveys are available at the town office.
A follow-up meeting will be held in a couple of months, Kent said.
“Once the town is organized, that opens the door to funding,” he said.
Town Manager Steve Eldridge said he has already begun research into available funding for housing improvements. He said that once the revitalization plan is solidified, he also plans to apply for Community Development Block Grant money to put into action some of the priorities Kent Associates will identify.
The Revitalization Committee plans to hold a meeting within a month to discuss the responses at Tuesday’s forum.
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