3 min read

At the Livermore Falls Town Office, seen here, residents from Jay, Livermore, and Livermore Falls gathered May 19 to share input on regional recreation priorities. File photo/Livermore Falls Advertiser

LIVERMORE FALLS — Nineteen residents from Jay, Livermore, and Livermore Falls gathered at the Livermore Falls Town Office May 19 for a “Build Session” workshop aimed at shaping the region’s Recreation and Facilities Master Plan.

Shelley Kruszewski, regional planner with Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments [AVCOG], said the session produced several major themes. “Some of the key ideas that emerged include building local capacity to enhance outdoor recreation; improving information sharing to allow more residents to learn about and participate in local recreation events and opportunities; developing a strategy for maintaining local recreation assets; and investing in a number of signature locations to allow for year-round, expanded use and enjoyment,” she said.

AVCOG and economic development consulting firm Fourth Economy are partnering with town managers and community leaders from the three towns to take a “community centered approach” in building the master plan.
“As AVCOG staff and Fourth Economy have been working closely with the Jay, Livermore, and Livermore Falls town managers in concert with community leaders and residents, we’ve adopted a community centered approach to building out the soon-to-come Recreation Master Plan,” Kruszewski explained.

The planning process includes input from multiple sources: surveys, interviews, online reports, web feedback, and two Needs Assessment workshops held in March.

“Our survey received 112 responses,” Kruszewski said. “Results indicate that more than half of respondents [55%] find it difficult to access or enjoy recreation at least some of the time. Additionally, more than half of participants believe that improving awareness and marketing of local recreation assets and events would help to boost outdoor recreation in the three towns.”

Advertisement

Throughout the community engagement process, several recurring themes emerged. “We also heard that improving accessibility; building a stronger sense of community pride; leveraging the incredible natural assets of Jay, Livermore and Livermore Falls; and improving regional collaboration are all significant priorities,” Kruszewski noted.

When asked about specific projects with strong support, she said, “Community members showcased significant interest in investing in upgrades in core locations like Spruce Mountain Ski Slope, Livermore Falls Recreation Area & Fields, French Falls and the AYS Building.”

Following the Build Session, AVCOG and Fourth Economy met with town managers to digest the ideas and begin drafting a comprehensive list of takeaways. “We are in the process of detailing and finalizing the list of the meeting’s key takeaways as a collective group,” Kruszewski said. “The community centered approach will continue as the final master plan is drafted to be a resource for implementation by the towns, residents and partners.”

Representation from the three towns appeared balanced. “Facilitators informally asked attendees to raise their hands when we asked if they live in Jay, then Livermore and then Livermore Falls, and the representation appeared fairly evenly distributed across the three towns,” she said.

The May 19 session built on work that began in March and is expected to continue into the summer as the planning team finalizes the Recreation and Facilities Master Plan.

Rebecca Richard is a reporter for the Franklin Journal. She graduated from the University of Maine after studying literature and writing. She is a small business owner, wife of 32 years and mom of eight...