on 09-25-2008 17:26

BY VINAYA SAKSENA

PAWTUCKET - The proponents of a major project to revitalize the Broad Street area revealed several specific elements of their plan on Tuesday, while also hearing and discussing ideas from the public.

The event, held at the Visitor Center in Pawtucket, was the last of several public input sessions planned by those running the Broad Street Regeneration Initiative before beginning to put their ideas into action, with the help of a consulting firm, the Maguire Group.
Proponents of the project, which has been spearheaded by University of Florida student Alex Sommer from the office of the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, presented their thoughts on what needed to be done, and then sought input from those present.
It was pointed out that Sommer had gone door-to-door along the street several times in recent weeks to gauge the needs of residents and business owners, often with a Spanish language interpreter in tow.
Based on his findings, the group said, it had been determined that five areas along Broad Street were in particular need of attention: the Ann & Hope mill location, Jenks Park and shopping areas in Pawtucket, Central Falls and Cumberland.
Several goals were also presented, the first being façade renovation. This, it was said, would be encouraged via grants or low-interest loans to be used by businesses to improve the appearance and visibility of their signs, with voluntary standards likely to be set for signage.
Another idea, which clearly had support from residents at the meeting was the idea of making the area more friendly to pedestrians, with kiosks and message boards to be placed along the street, along with benches for pedestrians to rest on.
The ideas of adding recycling and trash bins and allowing outdoor dining at restaurants were also discussed.
Historic preservation was another topic of discussion, with particular attention being paid to making people aware of the area's history and using it to attract visitors. This would include understanding of the immigrant groups that have shaped the area culturally- the Latino immigrants of today and previous waves of immigrants, including English and Italians.
And while pedestrian-friendly features were advocated for by the project's proponents, so was the idea of improved parking capacity. It was pointed out, for example, that few people knew of a municipal parking lot in Central Falls, located between Foundry Street and Ledge Street, due to poor signage and landscaping. This received an audible reaction from a clearly surprised crowd.
On a similar note, designing for safety was also discussed that night. This entailed both better lighting at night and clear windows for businesses, so that people could see what was going on, thus discouraging crime. Jenks Park was mentioned as a particularly important spot in this regard, with the idea of a pathway for police cars on patrol there also discussed.
Finally, stimulating business growth was also a stated goal of the project. It was said that help should be offered to local businesses to prepare them for a changing local economy and possibly involve local banks in providing economic help.
Local business owner Roberto Garcia, for one, was impressed. Initially skeptical of the regeneration plan, he said he had actually formed a business group that originally intended to fight it, but had since been convinced of its merit, particularly after learning that the project did not involve bringing in large chain businesses such as Wal-Mart at the expense of local ones.
"At the beginning, I was worried," he said. "But in the present time, I think you guys have got the right idea. I think it's a great program."