LIVERMORE FALLS — On Wednesday, May 20, there will be a Community Conversation held from 5-7 p.m. at the Livermore Falls Town Office, 2 Main Street, Livermore Falls. A light dinner and beverages will be provided and everyone interested is encouraged to attend.

This meeting is a follow up to a pilot project, sponsored by GrowSmart Maine (GSM) and the Maine Downtown Center (MDC), called Making Headway in Your Community that was begun last fall.

Jay, Livermore, and Livermore Falls are towns participating at this time in the program. Other partners in this project include Greater Franklin Development Corporation, Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments, and Androscoggin Land Trust. 

On May 20, attendees will help select 2 projects for funding. Each project must have an organization willing to take the lead and volunteers to help. The projects must be ones that can be completed in a reasonable amount of time and have the support of town staff time and/or financial assistance from individuals or businesses.

GSM will provide up to $1,000 for each of the two projects to help strengthen connections within and between the communities. GSM sees the projects as a way to bring vested partners closer and provide new enthusiasm and vitality to existing initiatives. 

One potential project involves the Androscoggin Land Trust land conservation efforts in Canton and Jay and associated recreational trails connecting those lands to downtown Livermore Falls. Another revolves around ongoing improvements to the schoolhouse community center.

To better grasp that option, there will be a tour of the Community Center, 25 Church Street, Livermore within Brettuns Village between Routes 4 and 108 prior to the public forum meeting in Livermore Falls. That tour will take place from 3:30-4:30 p.m. 

The Community Conversation effort is part of a collaboration between the Maine Downtown Center and GrowSmart Maine, funded by the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation and Maine Community Foundation.

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