Did you attend the charrette? Was it a good way to start? Did your ideas get considered? Did you hear any new ideas? Did you change your mind about any possible uses of town center builidings? Will you be attending the next meeting on Feb. 27?

I had a couple of ideas about Town Hall and the Old Library that changed during this event. Because I use Town Hall frequently to attend meetings and get information, I see problems with disuse and misuse of space, inadequate logistics for televising and recording multiple meetings, and just bad space planning. I thought that the whole operation should be moved down to one of the floors in the old library. I may have changed my mind about that. The idea that the center of small town civic life is at the "top of the hill" in an iconic New England meeting hall resonates powerfully for me. So if the architects can figure that one out, I'd lean toward keeping town offices there. On the other hand, some conversations among the group suggested that Town Hall could be repurposed for general community usage, especially the meeting space upstairs with the stage and grand piano. I've liked that idea for awhile.

The emphasis on the arts that I heard in our group was a surprise to me, and I thought the conversation about reusing the old library for the arts, flex space for incubator businesses, general meeting space, and so forth, was very creative.

Also, I had some preconceptions about the Hildreth House. My feeling about it when I go to meetings there is that the space is cramped, dark, and not easily accessible. During the walkthrough, I "stepped back" and appreciated the detail of the paneling and architectural work and now have an appreciation for value of the building architecturally. But I still think it's dark, cramped, and not easily accessed. Parking was sort of "off the list" at this level in the charrette, but the parking space around the Hildreth is minimal and, especially for folks with handicaps, dangerous. More than anything, the walkthrough made me think that a priority coming out of the charrette process ought to be to get the Council on Aging out of there and into a more appropriate space as quickly as possible.

Related to that, Jeff Harris was with our group and he pointed out that there needed to be a level space for the Council on Aging in the center of town; the group thought that that the Council on Aging needed to be in a place where there was an opportunity for cross generational interactions to be easy.

Also, I was thinking in terms of principles ("ought to be" statements) as we discussed the problem as a group, and then as we walked through the buildings. Based on those conversations and looking at the buildings, the first principle that I think I heard from the folks in my group had to do with the overall space: we wanted space for community to develop and prosper, to meet old friends and make new ones. Probably me being a romantic. The second principle I thought I heard was for flexibility of building use. Also, I heard us saying "connect, connect, connect," referring to the need for sidewalks, bike paths, and walkways to conveniently and safely connect the town center civic and public buildings, the library, and the schools.

I loved the charrette experience. Kudos to the committee for organizing it so well, for making field trips a part of the experience, and, most of all, for making participants feel as though they are really being heard. It was apparent that the committee itself has no set agenda and is open to any and all ideas. A small town at its very best!

I look to the next meeting with mixed emotions. I know the people will be as fun and interesting and the food as delicious, but I would much rather brainstorm ideas than talk practicalities and the finances to fund those great possibilities.