Visioning Statements For Town Building
The Building Committee posted the results of the November visioning process on the town’s website. The document can be found at http://middletownsprings.vt.gov/wpcontent/uploads/2012/08/2014-Visioning-Layouts.pdf. These statements were the focus of the February 8 town-wide informational meeting. For those of you who were not able to make that meeting we wanted to share this information with you and give you a more in depth review of the process.
The original visioning session took place on November 23, 2013, at the Middletown Springs Elementary School. The process started with one question that looked to the future and a successful outcome of the building project. The initial question was: It is now 2018 and we have a well-used and appropriate multi-use building on the corner of East & South Streets. What do you see as you visit or pass by?
The question generated hundreds of ideas from the 16 town residents who took part in the visioning process. The participants arranged their ideas into groups that were related in some way. The participants came up with 22 groupings and then worked together to craft statements that captured all the ideas in the each group. At the end of the day, they had 22 statements which reflected the group vision for a well-used and appropriate multi-use building.
After reviewing the data collected, the Building Committee agreed that attempting to use 22 statements to guide the building process would be unmanageable. There was also consensus that there were many idea relationships between the 22 statements that lent themselves to further consolidation. To achieve that consolidation, the Building Committee members performed the same grouping exercise as was done in the visioning session. This reduced the 22 statements into 7 overarching statements. It’s those seven statements that we are focusing on in this series, one statement at a time.
These are just a sampling of the wealth of ideas that were generated at the meeting in relation to the statements listed above. To see them all, go to the town’s website.
http://middletownsprings.vt.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/2014-Visioning-Layouts.pdf
It is important to note that ALL of these ideas were generated by interested town residents, who were not on the Building Committee at that time, as a tool to help guide the Building Committee’s work. The Building Committee extends its thanks to those folks who participated and a big thank you to Kathy Letendre, a professional facilitator and partner with Institute for Quality Advancement. She facilitated our visioning session and provided training and ongoing support.
The list of participants follows. If you are interested in learning more, feel free to contact a Building Committee member or someone on this list for more information on the process. There is also a more detailed article on the visioning session in the December 2013 issue of The Magnet (which is also available on the town website).
Lil Georg, Peter Stevenson, Judy Robinson, Hugh Coyle, Ron Masleh, Pat Hemenway, Kristal Hier, Emmett Francois, Chris Fenton, Chris Smid, Shirley Moyer, Cameron Gilmour, Peter Huntoon, Mareva Millarc, Bob Moran, Alice Hoisington,
Mary Lamson (sent in her ideas but did not attend the process)
Statement #1:
The building and site fit seamlessly into the character of the village and is a thriving, well-used asset inside and out.
This statement was formed in an attempt to capture the commonality of ideas in the following statements generated by the November visioning process.
• It is a timeless building that is historic in its design, is compatible with the surrounding buildings and green, and reflects the architectural details of neighboring buildings.
• The building has a well- planned landscape and provides usable space for residents and visitors.
• The exterior is welcoming and inviting, reflecting a thriving community.
Some examples of the original thoughts produced by the initial brainstorming session in these groups include the following (To see them in their entirety and to see which ideas generated each statement, take a look at the Visioning Layouts document referenced above):
• I see a wrap- around porch
• I see hallways wide enough for public use
• I see one story
• I see a building with no more than two stories
• I see a building designed in keeping with historic architecture
• I see landscaping to enhance the building
• I see flowers
• I see a “spring” incorporated into the design or an outdoor sculpture
• I see workers enjoying lunch at picnic tables
• I see a building that welcomes people to the center of town
• I see a friendly relationship between Grant’s Store and the town building
• I see the heart of Middletown’s thriving community
Statement #2:
The building provides welcoming multi use space for the community, offering access to technology, library services, and other informational resources along with space for other informational, artistic and recreational and educational activities.
This statement was an attempt to capture the commonality of ideas in the following statements generated by the November visioning process.
• It is a building that has public state of the art Wi-Fi and computers, and a building that obtains and utilizes new technology
• The building provides access to library services
• There is a showcase gallery for town visual artists and performance
• It is a space that allows the gathering of citizens for art music learning recreation celebration and meetings
• It is a well-designed building with flexible interior space for community meetings
• There is an outside (weather proof, enclosed) bulletin board for current events and area info and another area inside for information.
• The building has a warm and inviting interior that includes a space for impromptu meetings and encounters
Some examples of the original thoughts produced by the initial brainstorming session in these groups include the following. (To see them in their entirety and to see which ideas generated each statement, take a look at the Visioning Layouts document referenced above):
• I see a casual gathering space, a “porch”
• I see Library patrons
• I hear a movie being shown in a multi-purpose room
• I get a sense of well-lit open space
• I see a bike rack
• I see a place for sports teams to hang out before and after games
• I see a hive of activity
• I see energy efficiency
• I see computers for document research
Statement #3:
It is a building that was affordable to build, is energy smart, and is cost effective to operate and maintain.
This statement was formed in an attempt to capture the commonality of ideas in the following statements generated by the November visioning process.
• It is an energy efficient building, with consideration of alternate energy sources
• The building utilizes a mix of paid and volunteer staff members to address daily operational needs
• It is a building that will last a long time and be adaptive, meeting the needs of future generations with minimal environmental impact
Some examples of the original thoughts produced by the initial brainstorming session in these groups include the following. (To see them in their entirety and to see which ideas generated each statement, take a look at the Visioning Layouts document referenced above):
• I see a “green” building that blends in with the surrounding architecture
• I see a building that will last and adapt to future needs
• I don’t see a fuel delivery truck
• I see use of windows for natural light
• I see a place where townspeople can contribute their time doing what they do/know best
Statement #4:
The building is structurally sound, reflects its historic surroundings, has minimal environmental impact and is adaptable for future needs, making it a model for other communities and a source of town pride.
This statement was formed in an attempt to capture the commonality of ideas in the following statements generated by the November visioning process.
• It is a building that will last a long time and be adaptive, meeting the needs of future generations with minimal environmental impact.
• The building represents and creates the pride residents feel in the town and is a model for other communities.
• It is a timeless building that is historic in its design, is compatible with the surrounding buildings and green, and reflects the architectural details of neighboring buildings.
Some examples of the original thoughts produced by the initial brainstorming session in these groups include the following. (To see them in their entirety and to see which ideas generated each statement, take a look at the Visioning Layouts document referenced above):
• I see a building that stands out as an inviting and welcoming place.
• I see a building with a low carbon footprint
• I see a building that stands the test of time
• I see a building that anchors the village square
• I see a building that looks like it’s been there awhile
• I see a building that’s designed for the next 50 years
• I see activity all day long
Statement #5:
The building provides ample, secure and sufficient space for the towns civic needs with town office space, record storage, adequate meeting spaces and state of the art technologies.
This statement was formed in an attempt to capture the commonality of ideas in the following statements generated by the November visioning process.
• It provides ample, safe and efficient space for the town’s civic needs, including town office, record storage and various town meetings.
• It is a building that provides security for users and contents.
• It is a building that has public sate of the art WiFi and computers, and a building that obtains and utilizes new technology.
Some examples of the original thoughts produced by the initial brainstorming session in these groups include the following. (To see them in their entirety and to see which ideas generated each statement, take a look at the Visioning Layouts document referenced above):
• I see a building that is secure for those who use it and work there.
• I see a committee meeting place and a place to store records.
• I see the town clerk’s office
• I see a free wireless connection
• I see a public computer/web access station for quick Google searches.
Statement #6:
The building provides people of all ages and physical abilities, including visitors and staff, with access to clean and comfortable work spaces, public rooms and rest rooms.
This statement was formed in an attempt to capture the commonality of ideas in the following statements generated by the November visioning process.
• It provides people of all ages and physical abilities access to the building, its public rooms and bathrooms, comfortably.
• It provides clean rest rooms and physical comfort to all workers and visitors.
Some examples of the original thoughts produced by the initial brainstorming session in these groups include the following. (To see them in their entirety and to see which ideas generated each statement, take a look at the Visioning Layouts document referenced above):
• I see wheelchair access
• I see people of all ages and abilities using the building comfortably
• I see restrooms accessible from outside for visitors
• I see public rest rooms
• I see rest rooms (Not man/Woman bathrooms)
• I see bathrooms handicap accessible
Statement #7:
The site has adequate parking and enhanced public safety at the busy intersection while proving a protected space for those awaiting buses and rides.
This statement was formed in an attempt to capture the commonality of ideas in the following statements generated by the November visioning process.
• There is well-planned and adequate parking for numerous types of vehicles that considers safety for drivers and walkers.
• There is a protected space for school children and others to await busses and rides.
• There is a busy intersection that is safe for all traffic.
Some examples of the original thoughts produced by the initial brainstorming session in these groups include the following. (To see them in their entirety and to see which ideas generated each statement, take a look at the Visioning Layouts document referenced above):
• I see generous parking space
• I see a well-planned space that ensures safety for walkers and drivers
• I see lots of parking
• I see a safe space for school kids to be picked up or wait after the bus leaves
• I see a covered space for kids to wait for the school bus
• I see a space for school bus loading/unloading that is safe, warm and out of traffic
• I see our side streets active and vital
• I see much of traffic if not done properly
