POLAND — About 40 residents gathered at the steamy Town Hall on Thursday evening to view two alternative conceptual master plans for Poland’s Municipal Center complex.
The recent acquisition of the McConaghy property between the Town Hall and the Ricker Memorial Library means the town now owns all the frontage on Route 26 from the library to the Town Office. That includes the Town Hall and the old schoolhouse that is the Poland Historical Society headquarters.
The question was what can the town do now to create an attractive and functional municipal center.
Matt Phillips, an architect with Terrence J. DeWan & Associates, described the alternatives, both of which call for increasing the number of parking spaces within the municipal complex, sprucing up the appearance of green space and reducing the number of entrances off Route 26 from four to two.
Both alternatives also require that the house on the McConaghy property be removed. A study committee formed by selectmen determined the building cannot be economically retrofitted to meet any town need.
Those at Thursday’s meeting agreed that, in addition to creating a more clearly defined and attractive downtown center, additional parking is a priority and space should be allowed for the library’s expansion. One alternative increases the number of parking spaces from 68 to 104; the second increases parking spaces to 129.
Consensus favored the first alternative, which allowed more green space.
“This gives definition to the downtown center,” resident Steve Young said.
Resident Don Stover noted that unifying the road frontage and having two curb cuts and more greenery would enhance the community.
“Route 26 primarily is a wasteland; its purpose is move traffic as fast as possible through this town,” Stover said.
Not everyone was happy with the idea of the town becoming involved in another expensive public improvement project.
Resident Joe Cimino said the town has invested $3.5 million to bring water and sewer to the South Village area, another $1 million in downtown improvements and has committed to an expensive expansion of the town’s fire/rescue station.
“To date, there is no return on our investments. There is a real budget issue here. This might be one of the worst projects I’ve seen in this town,” Cimino said.
Resident Lois Snowe-Mello agreed.
“I’d like to give this property into private hands, allow business to go in there. Get some tax revenue; this is a bit much,” Snowe-Mello said.
John Cleveland, economic development consultant to the town, noted that the majority of voters at the 2012 town meeting approved purchase of the McConaghy property with full knowledge of the intent to create a unified municipal center.
Phillips said the town was simply establishing a long-range plan for such a development and the town remained in control of when and how the development would occur and how it would be funded.
“I support alternative 1,” resident Shannon Dalton said. “I understand it will take time.”
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