VITAL PATHWAYS

NEXT PHASE OF RIVERFRONT DEVELOPMENT
UNDERWAY

The Riverfront Committee is gearing up for yet another exciting season of development at Riverfront Park.  Last year’s efforts saw the induction of educational story boards around the park and on Gateway Bridge; signage at the park entrance; picnic tables; and a kiosk to display community information.  Landscaping and beautification work also continued with the addition of natural rocks. The rocks were featured in the Riverfront Committee’s successful “Guess the Weight of our Rock” contest. The contest was won by local John Benn who donated his winnings to the continuation of the Riverfront Park Project.

This year’s plans are already in full swing with tree plantings, the placement of trash receptacles and, according to Riverfront Committee Chairperson Bob Anderson, there’s much more to come.

“At the moment our main focus is on construction of a stairway which will run from the walking trail to Highland Avenue,” Anderson explained. “This is going to be a huge undertaking and construction is ready to begin.”

Anderson stated that materials and landscaping for the stairway project is estimated to cost about $20,000.

“Right now we have about $5,000 on hand for the stairway project,” Anderson commented, “and our goal is to raise another $50,000, which will allow us to complete the stairway and move forward with other pieces of the project.”

The “other pieces” Anderson was speaking of are the installation of lights along the walking trail, paving of the walking trail, landscaping around the picnic area, and the addition of 10 more storyboards.

Anderson added that the Riverfront Committee plans to raise the funds needed to complete the projects through the continued sale of brick pavers, which line the walkways near Gateway Bridge, the sale of steps and landings on the new stairway, and from the generosity of donors, sponsors, and grants.

To make a donation or to inquire about the Riverfront Project, contact Andrea Newman at Vital Pathways at 207-532-3071 / email vital.pathways@yahoo.com; Chelsea Wilson at FA Peabody at 207-532-2291 / email chelsea.wilson@fapeabody.com, or the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce at 207-532-4216 / email chamber@greaterhoulton.com. All monetary donations are received through Vital Pathways, the project sponsor, a 501c(3) Non-Profit Corporation.

Vital Pathways (VP) is a Healthy Communities Organization that works on area-wide community issues by connecting people of diverse backgrounds and affording them the opportunity to work collaboratively to achieve results that make a difference in Southern Aroostook County, Maine. VP has received resolutions of support from the 12 communities covered in our area.

VP's definition of health includes mental, emotional, physical, spiritual, cultural, economic, and environmental health along with traditional medical health.

The area that VP serves includes the towns of Amity, Cary Plantation, Hammond, Haynesville, Hodgdon, Houlton, Linneus, Littleton, Ludlow, Monticello, New Limerick, and the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians. This includes all the towns in the School Districts of SAD 29, and SAD 70.

VP's Board of Directors is a diverse group of professionals, municipal officers, community members, and members of other organizations that has allowed VP to be very successful in fostering collaboration with area groups, municipalities, and other organizations.

Vital Pathways has hired Andrea Newman as our new Office Coordinator and Community Liaison. Andrea has been on the job since June 2006 and is doing a wonderful job.

Perhaps something for the person who has everything or for someone close to your heart? May we suggest a one-of-a-kind Riverfront Paver. We have numerous design options to choose from to help you give a gift that will last a lifetime. Imagine You or someone you love will be forever a part of Houlton's great history by having your own paver on the beautiful walkway to Gateway Bridge.Say "I Love You " or "I Remember You" in style by purchasing a paver today.

Pavers are available in 4 x 8 format with three lines of print for $100.00 and in 8 x 8 format with six lines of print for $200.00.

Samples:

For more information or to purchase a paver, please contact Chelsea Wilson at (207) 532-2291, Vital Pathways at (207) 532-3071, email us, or click on the link below to fill out and print off the Riverfront Paver order form.

Purchase a Paver to Support the Houlton Riverfront Project

VP acts as fiscal agent for other groups that are working to advance our goals.

VP prides itself on the ability to bring diverse groups to the table to open up communication between these groups and finding ways that we can all work together through collaboration to improve our communities. A good example of this would be the Southern Aroostook Partners for Trails (SAPs 4 Trails) that we have just formed in the last couple of months. This is a diverse group consisting of ATV clubs, Snowmobile clubs, Equestrian clubs, Bicycle clubs, Cross Country Ski clubs, Snowshoe clubs, Walking groups, and other interested parties including landowners. By inviting all these groups to a dinner, we had over 50 people attend and SAPs 4 Trails was formed. This group meets one or two times a month to work on connecting existing trails and creating new trails where feasible. This group is working on multi-use trails and on trails that may be able to be used in different ways depending on the season. This has proven to be a very worthwhile program. These groups that did not think that they were compatible are finding out that they really are compatible in many ways.

VP works with other organizations to help promote economic and community development in the Southern Aroostook area.