RUMFORD — Seeking motivation to redevelop the River Valley, Ideaville launched its visioning process Wednesday night.

Ideaville is the brainchild of Rumford resident Kevin Saisi. In February, he formed River Valley Ideaville at www.facebook.com/groups/ideaville/.

It is a wall on social media site Facebook onto which economic development ideas were then posted by various creative people from diverse backgrounds.

“Ideaville is a Facebook page where the community has come together to compile ideas for restoring pride in the community while developing strategies for collaborative efforts under an optimistic vision,” Saisi said.

“(It’s) community people working together to make a positive difference in the valley,” he said.

Through a series of face-to-face meetings that began Sept. 6, members have taken on tasks to help revitalize and grow the town rather than work on a few as a whole.

Wednesday night’s session was led by Mexico native Miki Payton of Rumford, a meeting facilitator with strategic skills.

“We’re just putting more structure into our existence so that it’s a little bit more cohesive and not as random and helter-skelter,” Saisi said.

“We started by brainstorming ideas online, and then we came together to solidify that. This puts a structure to it so we can assure we remain motivated toward working toward the long-term goal,” he said.

While members Saisi, Andrew Cormier and Dorie Oakes, both of Rumford, and Pat and Steve Garbarini of Dixfield, shared goals for Ideaville, Payton transcribed them onto large sheets of paper propped on an easel.

With the group’s help she then created a vision by picking what everyone agreed were the most important goals.

The result was, “To create more tourism through promoting and enhancing attractions, recreation, business and educational opportunities by inviting the ideas and involvement of River Valley citizens.”

Among the ideas were to revitalize the River Valley by and for the people; enhance recreational tourism for snowmobilers from away; encourage teachers and students to become more involved; enhance all attractions, recreational and educational opportunities; maximize use of current resources; and expand promotion.

“I want to see retail, I want to see tourism, I want to see people coming from all over the place to visit our community and staying in our community and eating in our community,” Cormier said.

He envisions the new Rumford as resembling Conway, N.H.

But the inherent problem, Steve Garbarini pointed out, is trying to get people to believe that it can be done.

“It’s kind of like getting people to believe in God,” Pat Garbarini said. “You just have to walk the talk, and if you do that . . .”

“Yeah, I think more people will jump on board,” Cormier said, finishing her sentence.

Following more discussion, the group decided to convene another meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, in the Rumford municipal building.

Afterward, Saisi said Ideaville isn’t like other economic development organizations in the River Valley area, such as the River Valley Chamber of Commerce and the River Valley Growth Council.

“The chamber’s focus is to promote their members and we have a wider scope than that,” Saisi said.

“We are looking at the whole community. The Growth Council works primarily with business development and we’re looking at all aspects of community development. We’re kind of looking at the big picture.”

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

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