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

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 21, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of California High-Speed Rail station with bullet train.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself

The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

May 19, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Red SF Muni ticketing machine.

San Francisco Muni Raises Fares a Second Time

A 10–cent fare hike for adults is part of the agency’s plan to chip away at a growing budget deficit.

May 21 - San Francisco Examiner

Electric car charging station with several Chevy Bolts charging in parking lot of store in Bellingham, Washington

Electric Grid Capacity Could Hamstring EV Growth

Industry leaders say the U.S. electric grid is unprepared for the increased demand for power created by electric cars, data centers, and electric homes.

May 21 - GovTech

Top view new development riverside residential and commercial neighborhood with vacant land in Texas, USA.

Texas Bill Supports Adaptive Reuse in Commercial Areas

Senate Bill 840, which was preliminarily approved by the state House, would allow residential construction in areas previously zoned for offices and commercial uses.

May 21 - The Texas Tribune