5/21/10

Plan NH seeking volunteers for Belmont Charrette June 4 and 5

Plan New Hampshire is pleased to announce that six Granite State communities have been selected for a Plan NH Design Charrette: Belmont, Colebrook, Exeter, Groveton, Jaffrey, and Pittsfield. The first will be held in Belmont on June 4 and 5, and we are looking for volunteers!

Due to scheduling constraints, Plan NH will be conducting the first of this year’s round of Design Charrettes in just two weeks! We will be in Belmont, where our very first charrette took place in 1996.

Project description: Belmont’s town center needs a boost. Short of residents that live within the village and the businesses in the Mill (thanks to Plan NH in 1996) there’s not much going on. But the potential is there! Belmont is looking for solutions to create destination places and activities to give their village an identity again. Infrastructure, streetscape, changing of traffic patterns will be a part of the solutions. Development opportunities among stakeholders like the Lakes Region Community College will be a catalyst to bring in other service industries that will promote social capital. Opening and creating visual gateways to Route 106 will identify that there is a town center in Belmont. There is also a desire to create a riverwalk connection to the village area.

We are seeking volunteers for the following: • Architects (including workforce/student housing and multi-use) • Landscape architects • Urban designers • Traffic engineers • Civil Engineers • Planners • Historic preservation • Real estate – developer, economics • Construction cost estimators In addition, we are seeking “leaders in training” – if you think you would be interested in leading a Plan NH charrette in the future, we welcome your presence and participation here.

Please contact Michael Castagna at 603-540-7106 or michael@castagnaconsultinggroup.com if you wish to play a part.

A preliminary timetable:

Friday, June 4, 2010

11:00 a.m. – 11:30. Arrival 10-15 member Plan NH team led by Michael Castagna. Lunch provided

11:30 – 2:30. Initial project introduction by municipal leaders, Village Walking Tour

2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Afternoon Listening Session

4:30 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Team meets for initial ideas, work organization

5:30 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. Community supper

7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Evening Listening Session Saturday,

Saturday June 5, 2010

8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. Arrival – Plan NH team (coffee, water, pastries & fruit)

8:30 a.m. –2:30 p.m. Team Work Session - discussion, drawings & plan development from listening sessions – (Public welcome to observe and comment) (working lunch delivered from local vendor

2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Charrette report & presentation

This is Plan NH’s signature program. For volunteers, it is not only a way to “give back”, but is an opportunity to work with other dedicated professionals in the industry. Those who have taken part in past charrettes have felt a great deal of satisfaction and enrichment though participation and contribution. If you are interested in volunteering and contributing your talents to Belmont or to one of the future projects, please let us know. More information about each will be forthcoming. A tentative schedule shows another in July, three in the fall and then the last after the New Year.