City-Building Workshops

Creating a vision for Downtown/JAM, Acre, Lower Highlands, and Back Central

In spring 2009 the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) was awarded a Gateway Plus Action Grant from the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).  The grant funded a targeted planning effort to prepare for the impacts of the Hamilton Canal District development on surrounding neighborhoods, identify opportunities for neighborhood enhancement, and leverage civic engagement.  Neighborhoods targeted included Downtown/JAM area, Acre, Lower Highlands, and Back Central neighborhood.

DPD in partnership with Goody Clancy and Associates developed a work plan seeking to bring together residents, the City, and other neighborhood stakeholders to work collaboratively in order to realize a vision for each neighborhood that would benefit from the development of the Hamilton Canal District (HCD), and seek to improve physical, economic, and social linkages among the target neighborhoods and HCD.  

The work plan favored public outreach and public participation with nine (9) neighborhood meetings, and direct interaction with a number of neighborhood stakeholders over a five month period beginning in March 2009.  See the flyers below promoting each workshop session, the first two being held in each neighborhood, the final workshop bringing all four neighborhoods together to review draft recommendations and action plan.

City Building Workshop - Session I - Citywide Flyer

City Building Workshop - Session II - Citywide Flyer

City Building Workshop - Final Session - Citywide Flyer

A shard vision emerged from these meetings that flowed across neighborhood lines, illustrating possibilities for better integrating the neighborhoods.  Themes and opportunities that resonated among all neighborhoods include, providing safe and attractive streets that better connect the neighborhoods, neighborhood parks, improved public amenities, underscoring history and culture, and expanded civic engagement. 

Goody Clancy prepared a plan entitled, A City-Building Vision for the Hamilton Canal District and the Neighborhoods, providing a detailed account of the planning process, the shared vision emerging from neighborhood meetings, and includes a framework and plan to achieve the vision.  DPD will continue outreach to the neighborhood stakeholders and residents to provide updates and continue plan implementation.