From Memories to Master Plans

Maine mill town asks citizens to record their memories at downtown "Heart Spots" as part of the master planning process.

1 minute read

October 18, 2009, 5:00 AM PDT

By Tim Halbur


"Biddeford, ME resident Priscille Gagnon remembers having a vanilla Coke at the Puritan Restaurant, going to the movies with her future husband at the Central Theater and sledding down the hill on Pike Street in the winter. And those memories will help determine Biddeford's future.

The non-profit Heart of Biddeford hopes citizens will record memories like that for its upcoming "HeartSpots" project. Organizers posted wooden signs at special places downtown and set up phone lines so residents can call in and tell their stories, which will then be available for others to hear on a website. The stories and memories will inform a new vision for downtown. As part of Biddeford's Heart & Soul Community Planning Process, that vision will be translated into a master plan that emphasizes what citizens want and love about their city."

Thanks to Rebecca Sanborn Stone

Tuesday, October 13, 2009 in The Journal Tribune

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