Last week the Town Council listened to Parks and Recreation Director, Linda Brooks and Advisory Committee Chair. Pat Moody’s presentation for their approval a proposal for a Windham Community Center. “There’s been a lot of discussion over the last few years, and more so probably in the last six to eight months, about a community center for Windham and what that could do for us as a community,” said Moody.
A survey was initiated
to reach out to residents of Windham to understand if that was something they
would like, and what that would entail. The methodology used isn’t an exact
science. “We did an online survey and we also had it available on hard copy as
well,” Stated Moody. It was also posted on the town’s website as well as being
posted with other community groups within the town. It also could be found on
social media. “I think we did our best to get it out there. It did well - with
over 1,000 respondents representing 4,000 family members. We also had the
opportunity on Election Day to have folks fill out a hard copy,” continued
Moody.
One of the questions
asked in the survey was: If it was felt that there are adequate programs and facilities
in the town of Windham? The response was compelling, with 86 percent saying no
and the remaining percent saying yes. Moody pointed out that, “The other
question that jumped out was: If a community center that would provide programs
and facilities for all ages would be supported. The response was 97 percent
yes.” The top reasons for supporting a new community center was to satisfy
youths’ needs, bring the community together with less dependency on schools and
would satisfy the needs of senior citizens.
Councilman David
Nadeau supported the new center stating, “I don’t think we do a very good job
with the emotional needs of our constituents.” Nadeau continued, “At some point in time,
we’re going to have to invest in ourselves.”
Moody explained what the
next steps would entail: “We are looking to develop an Ad hoc committee for
feasibility. We have a blueprint we have been looking at from World Development
Initiative that’s called ‘creating a community center’, that we can provide to
you, which outlines the steps that can be taken. It goes through the different
steps a community would want to explore and along that time line, a number of
opportunities where you would stop and evaluate; so it is a well thought out
document and a useful tool.”
“The tasks this
committee would be charged with is, determining preliminary needs and
opportunities, seeking community input above and beyond the recent survey
results,” Brooks explained. “They would also identify potential sites,
obstacles and how to address them, by drafting a statement of concept on what
would be accomplished and who it will benefit. I know people just say,
‘community center’ and so many people don’t necessarily know what that is. This
is not like what South Portland has. Just look around the state of Maine. Many
communities have addressed this need in a variety of ways.”
All seven council
members, in the long run, agreed that a community center is needed and completely
supports the idea of creating an Ad hoc committee. There was a question of who the
members will be comprised of.
“We are seeking
specific individuals who have already stepped up and expressed interest,”
Brooks stated. “Someone from the Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee
would also serve.”
Town Manager Tony
Plante weighed in on the need to invest in Windham’s sense of community. “There’s
a real tendency, and I know I experience this myself, to focus on the nuts and
bolts, keeping-the-lights-on issues. But
I think as we’re going through the process of setting priorities (yes, it’s a
big list, there are a lot of big things on it), I think we need to be careful
to consider the things that, as Councilor Nadeau put it, connect with people’s
need for community, need for a sense of identity.”
In
conclusion Plante stated, “Community facilities and programs are one of the
four big things included in the upcoming comprehensive plan so I don’t want
this to get lost.”
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