From Memories to Master Plans

"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