LIVERMORE FALLS – The way Phil Poirier sees it, he has taken on a role that requires him to be a cheerleader.

“My goal as president of the (Livermore Falls) Downtown Betterment Group is to help folks believe that positive change is possible; that in fact it is already happening,” Poirier said. “I will use my skills as a collaborator to seek a meaningful role for everyone who volunteers. With many people helping, each doing work they enjoy, we will have successful projects, and I’ll have done my job.”

Poirier of Livermore Falls is a Web designer, artist, musician and photographer who grew up in Rumford and spent decades in Portland before coming back to his roots in western Maine.

The Betterment Group, organized a few years ago, has developed a long list of tasks it wants to accomplish to revitalize the downtown area economically and aesthetically, and preserve its history.

They have short-term and long-term visions and are collaborating with businesses and other organizations. Two committees have been established as part of its acceptance into the Square One Program, a new initiative of the Maine Downtown Center. Square One is a one-year pilot program designed for smaller communities and geared to help them organize downtown revitalization programs and promote downtowns to ready them to become a Main Street Maine community. The latter provides technical assistance/consulting to a community with the requirement it hire a downtown manager.

“One of the key things we’re dealing with is getting past the perception that things will not change,” he said. “They can. They will. They are already happening.”

The group supports many community activities including History Night, the Gazebo Market and the Apple-Pumpkin Festival.

It also holds cleanup days, most recently at Union Park and another one scheduled from 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 12, at Bridge and Main streets, which it hopes to adopt.

The 14-member board, includes business representatives, residents, state representatives and people whose jobs are to build communities.

Another task the group is overseeing is selection and installation of new street lights downtown.

The lights are a teardrop design with a more traditional early 19th Century-style with a more natural white light, expected to be installed in May.

The group also wants to improve signs and cooperate with the Source to the Sea Trek, all in an effort to promote the area.

People are starting to take notice, Poirier said.

“We were hoping for 50 to 60 people at our annual meeting. That was the target. We had 75. It was a wild success,” he said.

“Our job is to provide a structure for people to help. We want to develop general pride in this town,” he said.

People are so used to looking at this town as down-trodden but this place has so much potential, Poirier said.

He would like to see people be able to buy everything they need without leaving the area.

“Our Main Street Maine Program will be what we make it because of that, it is vital we get input from everybody in the town. The only way this is going to work is if the community is behind us.”

Right now, “We’re doing the dirty work, laying a foundation, a structure that all groups need and many fail to pay attention to. I think we’ve got a shot here. We have a momentum building. It’s like a fly wheel and it’s coming to the top of its curve – now’s the time – I’m optimistic. I’m totally excited. I’ve taken a role and the role requires me to be a cheerleader. I see things progressing. I see people getting involved.”