Berwick Art Association Plans Downtown Facelift

BERWICK - Residents of Berwick can expect a change of scenery in their downtown area, courtesy of the Berwick Art Association (BAA). The group has obtained permission to paint a mural on the outside walls of Prime Tanning, adjacent from town hall, and plans to submit a draft for final approval early next week.

Obtaining permission from the legal representatives of Prime Tanning was no easy feat, said BAA co-chair Justin Bloom. According to Bloom, the group made calls daily to Prime Tanning representatives for over a month before they finally reached an agreement that would allow the association to paint a mural.

Part of that agreement was the BAA could claim no ownership to the artwork on the wall. This would mean that if and when Prime Tanning is demolished, the group could not take legal action to protect their artwork.

However, the group has already found a “state of the art” method in preserving their work through one or more companies that create digital time montages using GPS and cell phones. The way it works is a company, like Circa, creates an app for a cell phones that enables the phone to access photos of what a certain location looked like in different stages of history, simply by pointing the cell phone at the desired location.

The group plans on documenting the progress of constructing the mural and uploading the photos to Circa. In this way, the Berwick mural will be immortalized in history archives.

“Even if we can only put something up for two years before it is torn down, it’s better than nothing at all,” said Bloom.

The group of artists plan to create a rural scene of rivers, trees and farmlands that runs at least 500 feet along the Prime Tanning wall. Within the rural scene there will be designated shaded areas, outlined by simplistic shapes, that will be made available to the members of the public that would like to contribute to the mural. The end result will resemble a quilt-like design.

“We want to let anyone that wants to participate, including youth groups, have access to the wall,” said Bloom.

Although Bloom said town officials do not oppose the idea, they are not in any position to fund the project. Therefore, the financial obligation would fall solely on the BAA.

BAA founder Erin Duquette, said she has already made contact with several painting businesses that are willing to donate services and materials to prepare the wall for the mural. These materials and services would be given in exchange for a small company logo incorporated onto the wall.

Final approval of the project is pending design acceptance from Prime Tanning’s legal representatives. Bloom said that he also plans on presenting a draft to town officials to make sure they do not oppose to the contents of the design. 

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Could you see something like this in downtown Berwick?

Letter to the Editor: Berwick's Possibilities

7 Additions I want to see in

Downtown Berwick: A path to a vibrant and prosperous village center.

Author: James Peter Bellissimo

Photo credit: GLA, A Division of BETA Group, Inc.

It’s not everyday a village has an opportunity to create a downtown from scratch.

Have high aspirations folks!

Because innovative, sustainable ideas that solve problems attract major funding. There are millions  (more on this in future articles) of dollars in Grant money available. The issue is not financial; it is a challenge of vision and creativity, which we all encompass.

These additions serve to spark a whole new local economy that Berwick hasn’t seen before, which could create enough opportunity to employ and sustain local village members. Initiatives like a Wellness Center and Music Amphitheater help to bring people in town, serving as a central draw that other local businesses can thrive of off.

These additions are designed to beautify our environment and bring people together, giving community members a comfortable and most importantly a meaningful way to interact.

So without further ado, here are my top 7 things I’d like to see added to Berwick’s downtown area:

#7 New Welcome to Berwick signs

How about something we can get done right away?

Questions:

Coming across the Somersworth/Berwick Bridge, what are some things that we could add that add to the town’s aesthetics? What would you want to see removed?

What kind of welcome sign would you like to see?

Some notable responses from the survey:

“Where the river meets recreation.”

“Where you always feel at home.”

“A Place to Build Memories.”

#6 Public transportation

I want to see convenient and comfortable public transportation to spots like Portland, ME, I say Portland because I go to school there, (add wherever you’d like to go as well.)  It’s about connecting to other towns.

While it may not make sense at first to give people an easy option to leave Berwick, the idea is that our vision will create enough interest for people to actually want to come into town.

How’s this for a marketing campaign:

Escape the city; come to Berwick, a fresh breath of air.

Give people an option to take a bus into town = less cars = less traffic, more walking and this means more business for local shops.

#5 Berwick Resource Center

Much like the library, where you can go to and “rent,” but instead of books or movies, you’d be renting essential equipment, tools and machines that help get stuff done around your house or for the community. Having these resources readily available, open access, allows for things to get done in the moment. And besides, not every single person in our 7,000+ member community needs a screwdriver right? Not just limited to tools either, how about exchanging skills?

How valuable would it be to have local skill-trades? Want to learn about carpentry? Great, Mr. _____ has been doing it for 25 years, oh you have a skill to offer the town? Awesome, let’s share our gifts and learn to exchange locally.

Photo credit: Century 21 Newson Associates

Potential Location: 25 Sawmill Hill Road

Potential other uses for this building: Restaurant, Function Facility, School (Day Care, Pre-school, Dance, Ballet, Yoga, Gymnastics, Karate), Retail (Grocery, Gym etc.), Town Recreation area and facility.

This location is right across the street from the Salmon Falls River!

 

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#4 Intellectual Café
A place you go to cultivate ideas. The whole environment is set up for collaboration and inspiration. Also a place where you can grab something delicious and healthy!

Example: treehouse institute creates “unique physical spaces to foster collaborative creativity.

#3 Berwick Rec Center

I play basketball. It’s a great way to build instant connections, community is found through common unions.  How much could our local athletes benefit from having a place to play sports? Maybe something like the USM field house in Gorham Maine. You could also do track, indoor soccer. Hold tournaments and competitions for all ages. This building could double as a Wellness Center, something like Health Food Store and Yoga By Donation in Portsmouth.

Photo credit: University Of Southern Maine

#2 Greenway trail system

A greenway trail system, accessible to bikes and horses, would be a unique and pleasing way to get to different points of the downtown area. Connecting the library, Berwick Rec Fields, new Resource Center and Rec Center;) and Downtown, throughout the town.

During the winter, we could get around by snowshoe and XC skiing.

Trail connections could also connect to neighboring towns

#1 Berwick Outdoor Amphitheater

Human expression, music brings people together, it transcends perceived differences. It’s a tool that has been used since, well ever by our species to connect. This amphitheater would serve as a central draw for the downtown area. Local restaurants, specialty shops in Berwick would majorly benefit from 500-1,000 people in town.

Potential Cultural Event:

How cool would a New Year’s Winter Music/Arts festival be in town?!

 

Source - Brunswick Outdoor Arts Festival

Could you see something like this in town?

Comparison: Cochecho Arts Festival – Dover NH

“The Friday Night Headliner Concerts are the signature Series of the Festival, with average crowds ranging from 1,500 to 2,500 per night.  Music lovers of all ages flock to Henry Law Park (Corner of Washington St and Henry Law Ave) with picnic blankets, lawn chairs, friends and family to enjoy music in a setting that truly epitomizes the charm and sense of community found only in New England cities as vibrant and historic as Dover.” Source

What about our rural culture?

What would you rather see? 

Photo Credit: St. Germain Collins Environmental Consulting Group

Photo Credit: Statesman Journal / Timothy J. Gonzalez

The additions suggested keep in mind that we want to stay away from overdeveloping and looking like a concrete mess. Comfort, sustainability and aesthetics are extremely important.

“Do we have the “market to make these additions tangible?”

We have 10,000 cars that drive through our town daily to get somewhere to do something that’s obviously vacant from our town. There are 50,000+ people within a 25-mile radius of our town.

“What about parking and traffic flow?”

Needless to say, this is essential to figure out. We attempted to address in these challenges in this initial sketch, which was completed after our first Charette  on May 2^nd . If you have any ideas, please to share!

There’s so much more to discuss!

I hope this article got you thinking about what’s truly possible! But of course these are just possibilities. To make stuff like this happen it will require our town to get on the same page! I’ve seen some amazing things already in our community and I’m inspired. I’ve called Berwick my home for my entire life of 24 years and intend to stay.

We’re a gateway to Maine, let’s be a shining example of what a vibrant community looks like!

Until next time,

James

Do you agree? Disagree? I would love to hear your comments.

Feel free to post on the Facebook page

Or e-mail me @ Bellissimo247@Gmail.com

Painting the Town Red

BERWICK - Berwick’s newly formed art association aims to “paint the town red” next month in a kick off to the group’s agenda on upcoming community events.

On August 24, at 11 a.m., members of the Berwick Art Association (BAA) will gather at the Lady of Peace church on Saw Mill Road in Berwick for a live sketching session. A mysterious woman, modeling a fabulous red gown, will pose for local artists as they form a collaborative sketching session.

Members of the community, artistic, non-artistic or just plain curious are invited to attend and participate in the day’s events. Professional photographer, David Mendelson will be on site throughout the day documenting the occasion.

“This event will serve as a testing ground for future art fairs,” said BAA member and local artist Erin Duquette.

The group has coordinated the event with realtor, Bill Green, who is currently trying to sell the old church for Reverend John Skehan. According to Duquette, Green was more than willing to help the BAA with a site location to host their assembly.

“It’s also providing an opportunity for the church to be seen and attract a potential buyer,” said Duquette. “So it was a win-win situation for both parties.”

The BAA was also quick to form an alliance with the art community in Somersworth. BAA member Justin Bloom said the group has been invited to participate in the Hidden Treasures art fair hosted by Friends of Somersworth. The event, scheduled for September 28, would raise money for charity by donating at least 50 percent of art sales.

“I will donate art,” said Duquette. “I want to see Somersworth succeed in their arts because its just as important.”

Another project the BAA hopes to aspire to includes helping Richard DeCosta of Scarborough with set design for an opera. DeCosta has a series of YouTube videos that are collectively forming his grand vision of an opera about aliens that seek freedom from domination.

More locally, the BAA is currently working to obtain permission to create a mural on the outside walls of Prime Tanning.

At the July 17 BAA meeting, members discussed what they would like to see on the wall, who would be part of the creation, and what costs it may incur. Currently, the group feels that they do not have the support of the town on this project because of the likelihood that Prime Tanning will eventually be demolished.

Member Gloria Houlne said the wall mural could serve as a vision for what the space could be in the future, like a park or a café scene.

Bloom said that he would love to work with the Berwick school district to get students actively involved in the process.

“I could think of seventy kids that would be dying to do something like that,” said BAA member Stefanie Lynn.

The group meets weekly at 5:30 at the Berwick library and welcomes artistic members of the community to participate. For more information on upcoming events visit: www.berwickarts.weebly.com

Source

This is not the mysterious woman. This is not the red dress. To see either, attend the event.

Trails Committee Steps Forth in Berwick

BERWICK - A new committee in Berwick was born this week when the Trails Committee held their first successful meeting Thursday night at town hall. Town planner, John Stoll, and Downtown Vision Committee co-chair, Jessica Sheldon, met with three volunteers that expressed interest in developing trail systems in Berwick.

The group immediately identified the need to create a networking between locals that can contribute information on where existing trails are located.

“There are a lot of people that know a lot of trails and it would be great if we could get them all together and make this information known to the general public,” said Berwick resident Ben Watts.

Sheldon suggested a semi-formal dinner where potential stakeholders could gather and start conversation with each other on what could be done if they worked together to create a trail system.

The committee mapped out the trails they knew existed and advanced to brainstorming ideas for new trail systems. Some of the areas that were under discussion included Cemetery Road, Blackberry Hill Road, Pine Hill Road, Diamond Hill Road, and the elusive area between Logan and Dobson Road where the little known Penny Pond is said to exist.

Town Planner, John Stoll maps out existing trails with Berwick residents Ben Watts and Natalie Gould at the first Trails Committee Meeting in Berwick.

“Penny Pond isn’t really a pond, it’s more of a marsh right now,” said Stoll.

Stoll also spoke of the possibility of creating a trail system on two parcels of land off Blackberry Hill Road that were donated for land conservation.

“Just because it is conservation land doesn’t mean that we can’t create a trail on it,” said Stoll. “It means we can’t develop on it.”

Stoll suggested that landowners in the area may be in favor of the idea due to rumored squatters that were sitting on “land that wasn’t technically owned by anyone.”

The most feasible idea that came from the brainstorming session was creating a trail that ran from the Berwick Police Station to the Library. 

“Seeing the town owns all that land, it would be relatively easy to create a trail there,” said Stoll.

“The library is a great community asset but it’s a scary route to walk,” said Berwick resident Christine Irvin.

The idea was a hit with Sheldon who stated one of the things she would like to see most in Berwick was a way of connecting downtown to other parts of Berwick by trail.

Berwick resident Natalie Gould said adding a sidewalk in that area might be a possibility by means of utilizing a grant program called Safe Road to School.

“Well, I can tell you it’s certainly not a safe road to school right now,” said Sheldon.

The committee concluded the meeting by drafting a list of businesses, potential stakeholders, and organizations they could call upon for help in their efforts to move forward with the trail development tasks. The list included, but was not limited to, Eastern Trail Association, Rails to Trails Program, Salmon Falls Nursery, SAD 60, Great Works and PSNH.

“We want this to be a positive experience that nobody is going to be against and everybody is going to want,” said Stoll. 

Source

 

 If you could add a trail anywhere, where would it be, and why?

Horsepower Drives Berwick in a New Direction

BERWICK - With the development of new ideas for Berwick’s future, the Downtown Vision Committee (DVC) is calling on residents for more “horsepower”.

During the July 1 DVC meeting co-chair Jessica Sheldon announced that the DVC has created a “spider wed effect” in forming other town committees. As we’ve created a vision for what Berwick residents want to see in their downtown, we’ve identified needs for other committees, said Sheldon.

Currently, there are several other committees being born in Berwick. These committees include trails, culture and events, river front development, preservation and heritage, economic development and sustainability.

It is likely once the DVC reaches their goal of outlining a plan for the former site of Prime Tanning and Berwick’s river front area, the committee will morph into an economic development committee. However, that is just one aspect of the many changes that Berwick will face in the coming year.

The Trails Committee is already well underway, said Sheldon. On July 11, there will be a meeting at 6:30 in town hall to identify members to serve on this committee and gather feedback from residents to outline goals for Berwick trails. Based upon recent meetings of the DVC, it is likely that there will be some discussion on creating a trail from downtown to Penny Pond.

“It’s time we start loving our land actively,” said Sheldon.

The Culture and Events Committee would be responsible for developing community events, like farmer’s markets, art shows and annual celebrations.

There is already one person from Berwick’s recreation department that has volunteered to work on this committee. With ideas like a 5K race in the fall, followed by a haunted tour, this committee is off to a great start, said Sheldon. 

One of the first goals of this committee would be to develop an annual celebration that showcases Berwick’s unique status in the seacoast.

“The antique car show at the 300th Year Celebration was such a huge success perhaps Berwick should consider doing that every year,” said Sheldon.

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The Riverfront Committee would be responsible for the preservation and development of the riverfront. This would include ways to clean up any potential residue pollution from Prime Tanning, as well as protecting it from future contamination. This committee would also face the possibility of assisting the town in acquiring riverfront property for recreational use.

“The success of this town is not in constructing new buildings, its in constructing a sense of community,” said Sheldon.

The Preservation and Heritage Committee would be responsible for creating and maintaining Berwick’s historical values. Currently, Berwick’s only “museum” is located at the town hall and is accessible by appointment only.

“Prime Tanning’s smoke stack may an eye sore now, but it could be a landmark or observation tower that pays tribute to those that worked, served and died at Prime Tanning,” said Sheldon. “We want to preserve its historical value.” 

Berwick resident, Ginny Charron, who was present at the DVC meeting suggested the possibility of a farming museum. 

The Economic Development Committee would assist in developing guidelines for new businesses. One method in controlling what types of businesses can set up shop in Berwick may be through the use of form based zoning, explained town planner John Stoll. 

Form based zoning is a zoning method some towns use to define when and what they would like to see enter into a specific geographical location. According to Sheldon, Dover had great success using form based zoning to develop their town.

“The key to Dover’s success was letting the residents depict what they wanted in their town and not letting the zoning be micromanaged by outside sources,” said Sheldon.

The Sustainability Committee would serve as an “umbrella” for all the committees listed above, ensuring that all followed an outlined code of conduct that reflected the environmental concerns of the town.

“It’s about using our resources to the best of our ability and making sure that whatever new projects we take on have a low impact on our earth,” said DVC member Serena Galleshaw.

The next step for DVC is creating a brochure that outlines the results of the survey that was sent out to residents back in April.
Link to survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/envisionberwick

“I haven’t seen the kind of horsepower I’ve seen in this town in the last six months, for many, many years,” said DVC member Paul Boisvert. “Berwick is currently looking at an opportunity that only comes once in a hundred years.” 

Who will get behind the wheel of Berwick's future, and who will get left in the dust? 

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          Would you like to see an Annual Car Show in Berwick?