Historic Harwich

Practicality or Vision

These days there is a real conflict going on about practicality vs. vision and I think it is true throughout the country. Of course, I can only speak from my own point of view and I don't pretend to have the answers. By practicality, (and I'll stretch the definition) I mean the tendency to be "practical" or judicious when considering projects affecting the community at large and placing a long-range vision on the back burner.

For example, the recent discussion about the new police station in Harwich drew practical points of view from all directions. Why build a new one? Why not regionalize? Why not build it smaller? What will be the impact on taxpayers? And so on it went. But other practical arguments were introduced that made the new police station a shoo in, e.g. costs will increase if the Town waits; regionalization is good for certain programs, like dispatch, but not for the entire police force; building size has been reduced to the minimum needed for a viable force. The same arguments will show up, I'm sure, when the matter of building a new high school comes up, in fact, it's already happening.

My point is that all of the above are extremely important. It is not like a committee that wants to build a horse and ends up with a camel. In most cases, practicality works for the betterment of all. Many problems can be solved by the "practical" approach.

Now, we come to the two historic school buildings in Harwich. From a practical standpoint, certain folks would like to see them torn down. In other words, why throw good money into two dilapidated buildings? This is the best way to rid the conscience of the troubling problem of having a sore spot stick out in the town. After so many years of neglect and disinterest in improving the buildings, now we are faced with a decision. Go forward or just throw in the towel. There are other practical suggestions. Why not take on the renovations in a piecemeal fashion? Why not turn the buildings into additional housing units? Why not sell them?

The police station is a necessity for public safety. The new high school is a necessity for a vital educational purpose. Tearing down the old police station and replacing it with a spanking new one is not a problem. Tearing down the old high school and building the new one is not a problem. Tearing down historic homes, or any homes for that matter, for building new and larger homes is a problem, but on a different scale. Historic buildings, generally, have no significance for safety or basic education. Their value lies in the community's commitment to preserving history, a sort of abstract term that requires some thought beyond the practical.

We may often talk about the heart and soul of Harwich, but it seems to mean different things to different people. The supporters of economic growth do not always consider the importance of historic treasures to the Town. They call it progress. The supporters of limited change may be nearsighted when it comes to zoning changes and controlled growth. In the middle of it all is historic preservation. The Town created the historic district in the 70s. The reasons are not totally spelled out, but districts and places are seen as adding values to a Town, in property values and intrinsic values.

Creating a historic district and maintaining it are two different things. Harwich, for thirty-odd years has had the district in place, but has placed little emphasis on its existence, except for a few signs. The Brooks Academy Museum and the Brooks Free Library have masterfully kept the Town's history intact, but they can't do it alone.

Over time, the lack of attention to the historic district as a whole has created a real problem; apathy that requires enormous resources to recover from. The O.R.B. (old rec. bldg on Sisson Road, across from Brooks Academy Museum, Harwich Center) is a cornerstone of the Historic District. The architecture is Greek Revival (as is the museum and the West Harwich School). Those who might be interested in this topic should visit here or here.  The two schools, built in 1871, represent Greek Revival and are the last of the town-owned buildings. The schools, also built in three other villages, were built when the townspeople realized that providing education was the responsibility of the Town.

Do you think the picture, an example of Greek Revival, is of Brooks Academy Museum? Think again. See answer below.

The RFP (Request for Proposal) is on the street for affordable housing and building renovations. The immediate practicality is the housing. We need it now. Not totally secondary, however, is the building renovations. Unfortunately, the costs are high. We can't be sure that any builder will want to take on the project, especially since we are asking that the renovations live up to historic standards and that we intend to file for the historic registry.

The vision is to raise the Historic District to its rightful place in the community and make it a destination for tourists; good for the soul of Harwich, good for business. The same applies to West Harwich.

Having a dilapidated building in the district is a sad commentary on the Town's commitment. We now have an opportunity to put things right, if, and only if, we can find a bidder who will restore the buildings. If not, the consequences are dire. We will go on indefinitely, hobbling along until the day comes when the very existence of the buildings will surface again and the "I-told-you-sos will come flying out of the rafters.

How can we GETTER DONE?

The first annual cleanup of Historic Harwich Center will be held on Saturday, May 17. Volunteers are asked to report to the Exchange Center Park at 9:00 a.m. Bring a rake, broom, or just yourselves. We have a surprise for all volunteers.

Vast improvements have been made to the Town's web site. For your enjoyment, go here and click on Boards and Commissions.  Then, click on Cultural Council for some interesting links.  Most important, click here to print and fill out the survey, then get it to Town Hall.  The Council needs your input. Out-of-Towners welcome as well.

The picture is of the First Congregational Church in Somers, CT built in 1842.

Have a great week.

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I Can See the Headline Now

I can see the headlines now...

"Town of Harwich Tears Down Two Historic Buildings." This, apparently, would satisfy some of the townspeople who made their positions known at last night's Town Meeting. By a 91-55 vote, the Town Meeting approved the amount of $57,500 (from CPA money) for restoring the foundation of the old rec. building on Sisson Road. It seems that this article came out like a dagger at the heart of the pro-renovations crowd. A few people made it clear that the money to rebuild the foundation was not just objectionable in their minds; their argument blossomed into tearing the buildings down. There was a suggestion: "If you want a cultural center there, why not tear down the building and build a first class cultural center." Hmmm. Great idea. Money sources??? Community support???

I'm happy about the 91 people who saw the light, that this money would help to induce a builder to come forward and bid on the building renovations as well as the affordable housing; that the money could be used as matching funds for historic preservation grants. In any case, all of the moneys contributed by the CPC, shows commitment of the Town to the project.

The 55 people who voted against the motion, for a few reasons, disturbed me:

1. I interpret their vote as a rejection of preserving Harwich's last town-owned historical buildings or at the least rubbing the Town's commitment the wrong way. In previous motions, the Town meeting approved two important historical projects in preserving past public records in the Town Clerk's Office and the Assessor's Office and later, approved the Brooks Academy Museum's requests for equipment for temperature control. Also approved was a request for $6,100 for preserving 22 Charles Cahoon paintings. In addition, the Town Meeting approved $100,000 requested by the South Harwich Meeting House to continue their building upgrade projects. I applaud those decisions. But why was there so much discussion about the two buildings? What is it that causes so much difference of opinion?
2. Someone out there must be able to explain that projects go really well when the Town fathers are committed to whatever it may be. The Finance Committee and Board of Selectmen chose not to bring forward the positive motion required to get Article 33 on the floor. Gerry Loftus, Chair of the  Harwich Housing Committee had to make the motion. I can only assume that the 55 people sensed that the two Boards were not committed and they followed their lead. Ostensibly, the 2-3 vote against moving on the article (Indefinitely postponing it) was because bids are not in yet for the RFP (Request for Proposal) which is now on the street. It wasn't mentioned that the RFP was almost seven months overdue when it was issued in mid April 2008. Commitment is the key word here. Non-commitment results in foot-dragging.
3. When commitment is split, the domino effect comes into play; teamwork breaks down, fundraising breaks down, grants break down. It isn't just a matter of saying no to one part of a proposal. It is the failure of the Town to rally around a just cause, a cause, by the way, that was dictated by Town Meeting in 2005 to save the buildings. What makes me wonder is what happened to the team concept? I feel like I'm in a game of football. Part of the team wants to go forward, while the other part of the team is going in the opposite direction. Why is that? What is there to lose by everyone standing up and pulling together for the cultural center/affordable housing projects? The gains are inestimable for the whole town's creative economy, for the cultural enhancement of the Town, for a better image of the Town, and, most of all, putting two historic building back into use for the public benefit, achieving the Planning Department's Comprehensive Plan, and much more.

The objective from the beginning has been to remove the buildings operating costs from the Town budget. There is more to the decision of the 55 and the Finance Committee and the Board of Selectmen than meets the eye. The projects can't be done without them. On the other hand, if everyone puts their heads together and works out the kinks together, and works on solutions instead of building barriers, there would be more action in the area of donations and positive responses from grant authorities. Already, the Town has in place a negative attitude that will undoubtedly affect future grant proposals. What a shame.

That's what I got out of last night's Town Meeting. Maybe I'm off base, but I think I'm close. We need solid commitment from the top down and the bottom up.

On another matter: I can't tell you how much I enjoyed the Art Café featuring Odin Smith this past Tuesday with catering by Dave's Ribs. It was held at the proposed cultural center in Harwich Center. Odin was spectacular. She is a great teacher with an engaging personality. I see more clearly now why she is revered as the Artist in Residence at Harwich High School. I hope we can get her to repeat this performance in the future. This is the kind of activity that is perfect for the center. Attendance could have been better. We had enough food to feed an Army division and the magnificent bread pudding for dessert capped off the occasion.

Upcoming Events & Meetings:

• The Friends of the Harwich Cultural Exchange Centers, Inc. (CEC) meets at the center (across from Brooks Academy) on Wednesday, May 7, at 5:00 p.m. There is room for more members. Come and talk with us.
• The Harwich Cultural Council meets at Town Hall on Wednesday, May 14 at 4:00 p.m. Lots to talk about, especially publicity about our exciting fundraiser, a trip to Sorrento Italy in November (10^th-thru 18^th). Also, we are in the process of distributing our Community Needs Survey. Any help along this line will be most appreciated.
• Larry Folding, noted artist and member of the Guild of Harwich Artists will be presenting a six-week workshop starting in July. Stay tuned.
• The Historic Harwich Center Initiative is launching its first annual cleanup of Harwich Center on May 17. Volunteers are asked to report to Exchange Park at 9:00 a.m. with a rake, broom, or none of the above if not available. Many nice things will transform the center as we move into the summer season.

 Have a great week!

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What's On Your Mind?

GOOD NEWS AND WORRISOME NEWS: As I understand it, the RFP (Request for Proposal) for the mixed-use cultural center/affordable housing project is now "on the street" which means that in the coming days, hopefully, the Town of Harwich will be receiving bids. This is both exciting and worrisome; exciting because of the possibility that a single bidder for the whole project will step forward; worrisome because of the possibility of no bids on the historic building renovations. Stay tuned.

MORE ABOUT CREATIVITY: I hate to beat a dead horse. I have been writing extensively about creativity. Another aspect that comes to mind is that we who are involved with several committees need to come up with fresh ideas much of the time.

For example, the Harwich Cultural Council needs funds for its grant pool. We are striving to reach a goal of $5000 in donations to supplement funds we get from the MA Cultural Council and the Town of Harwich. We are constantly looking for new ways to reach the residents of Harwich to promote cultural activities. Thanks to Dot Hemmings, her imagination brought us to Durgin Travel. With them, we are sponsoring a trip to Sorrento, Italy in November 2008 as a fundraiser.

Recently, the revitalization of Historic Harwich Center has been enthusiastically received and as a result, due to Elizabeth Hude, Assistant Town Planner for Harwich, the Center will undergo some real changes to attract tourists. New ideas are needed beyond those submitted by the year 2000 Center Initiative Report.

The 21^st Century School, led by Francie Joseph, has been meeting to find innovative ways to better serve troubled children from birth to grade 12 and their parents. The sad news about this is that there are extremely limited mental health resources on the entire Cape. The answers lie in using current services to best advantage.

The Cranberry Festival Committee has been meeting to restore the festival parade. This will cost additional money and recruitment of participants.

Under Gerry Loftus' leadership, the Harwich Housing Committee, constantly looks for ways to provide affordable work force housing; a tough job.

WHAT'S MY POINT: Except Elizabeth Hude, members of these committees are volunteers with varying backgrounds, experience and commitments. When creative ideas are asked for, we are asking these people to compartmentalize their regular commitments in order to focus on the committee's needs.

            The best example I can think of is the revitalization of the Historic Harwich Center. A schedule of meetings is written below. In order to reach a goal of making the Center a tourist/visitor attraction, new ideas are needed. The meetings last about ninety minutes. In that amount of time, (unless some people do some homework) we are asking people to come up with creative ideas for the betterment of the Center. Business people, for example, spend much of their time on the goals of their business, finding new ways to sell their wares, finding more efficient ways to deliver their products, and the list goes on. Now, we are asking them to set aside their individual goals and take on the goals of the revitalization group. We are asking them for ideas about how to attract other businesses to the Center, how to "dress up" the Center's appearance, how to anticipate tourists/visitors needs, how to establish a brand for marketing the area, and that list goes on, too.

BACK TO THINKERTOYS: Michael Michalko, author of Thinkertoys suggests many ways to break out ideas. He calls it "Stretching the Challenge." One method that is most effective is this one. Answer the questions:

Step One: Why do I want the Historic Harwich Center improved? To enhance the creative economy of the Town.

Step Two: Why do I want to enhance the creative economy of the Town? So that residents and businesses can prosper.

Step Three: Why do I want residents and businesses to prosper? To enhance the quality of life in the Town.

Steps Four until you reach an end point. Formulate a question from your last answer.

The answers above can be reshaped in a variety of ways, for example:

In what ways can we enhance the creative economy of the town?

In what ways might we help residents businesses prosper?

In what ways might we enhance the residents' quality of life.

In short, mining ideas and establishing an idea bank will require the utmost cooperation and commitment. Ideas are generated best in a favorable, unthreatening environment. We hope these meetings will be approached, as they have in previous meetings, with that in mind. No idea is trivial. Every idea gets an equal share of the spotlight. Everyone's invited.

MEETING SCHEDULE OF THE HISTORIC HARWICH CENTER INITIATIVE:

Thursday, April 17, Town Hall, 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Subject: INFRASTRUCTURE.

Thursday, April 24, Rec. Bldg., Sisson Road, 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Subject: PROMOTION.

Thursday, May 1, Rec. Bldg., Sisson Road, 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Subject: ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT.

Thursday, May 8, Rec. Bldg., Sisson Road, 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Subject: DRESS REHEARSAL

Saturday, May 17, First Annual Neighborhood Clean-Up in Historic Harwich Center. Location: Exchange Park and surrounding neighborhood.

THE HARWICH CULTURAL COUNCIL is sponsoring a nine-day, seven-night trip to Sorrento, Italy in association with Durgin Travel, November 10-18, 2008. $100 per person of the base fare of the tour is a tax-deductible contribution to the HCC grant pool. Contact John Prophet at jprophet@earthlink.net or by phone at 508-430-7850 to receive information and a reservation form. Add name and address to e-mail for quick response.

Be prepared for an exciting and historic trip.

ART CAFÉ WITH ODIN SMITH: The Friends of the Harwich Cultural Exchange Centers, Inc. will host an "Art Café" featuring noted artist, Odin K. Smith. Put this on your calendar. Date: April 29: Time: Begins at noon with a luncheon catered by Dave's Ribs, art demonstration follows luncheon. Place: Harwich Cultural Center (formerly old rec. building), across from Brooks Academy Museum. Tickets: $25 per person can be purchased from Jack Brown, tel. 508-432-5956 or at the door. Don't miss this demonstration by a superbly talented artist.

Have a great weekend!!!

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It's All About Creativity

Let's hear it for the creative mind:

Personally, when I talk about proposed cultural centers for Harwich and renovations of two of the last town-owned historic buildings in association with affordable housing, and the revitalization of Historic Harwich Center, I think about creativity. It's all about creativity. I have mentioned that my favorite book on creativity is Thinkertoys by Michael Michalko. I have a signed copy. He addressed it to me with this: "What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, God calls a butterfly."

I don't want to lecture on the subject, mostly because I'm not an expert as an engineer or architect, or chemist or artist. But I have studied creativity and I've found, to my amazement, that what Michael Michalko says is true: "If you act like an idea person, you will become one. It is the intention and going through the motions of being creative that counts." Michael Michalko's book is filled with valuable quotes.

But what does this have to do with Harwich?

The Cultural Centers: It is my firm belief that a cultural center is not just an entertainment center. It's not a place to put on a show for the show's sake. Each cultural event is a celebration of creativity. In previous articles, I have stressed that, as people, we are all cultural centers with different talents and interests. We decorate our homes to suit our tastes; we stock our homes with books and music or whatever suits the taste for knowledge or emotional reward. Some people share their creations and by that act, they inspire others to create in their own way. Cultural centers, when programmed to fit the needs of the public, offer the venue for that to happen. It's quite easy for many to sit back and snipe at someone else's efforts, rather than look at the benefits that can accrue by cooperation and coordination of effort, not stifle creativity but explore the potential.

Getting to the point:  My point is that not only are the benefits of a cultural center not clearly understood or appreciated (at least that's the feeling I get), there is a lack of creative ideas to make things work. When that happens to a community, things go really bad. A cultural center is not in the business of competing with existing organizations; it can advocate for what they do, support them in every endeavor, and offer a venue for  creative people to share their works. Everyone wins. When we get too bogged down with numbers (costs for renovations and operations), creativity goes out the window. Another quote from Michael Michalko. He uses the Tick/Tock illustrative technique to show what happens in a person's mind:

 Tick: "What's the point in doing all that work? I'll never find a company to market it.

Tock: I have no way of knowing that. Give it a try. Some company will be interested. Besides, you can learn things even if someone rejects it. Where there is a will there is a way. If I believe in it, others will as well. It's a question of finding the right company."

And so it is for the RFP (Request for Proposal) soon to be issued, not asking for a single developer, but asking for bids that have the potential to exclude the building renovations or cause monumental management problems if separate bidders come in for housing and renovations. ‘Nuff said.

The Historic Harwich Center Initiative: The Center is the caterpillar. It is what it is in its present condition. Everyone I know has an opinion about it. Certainly, there are enormous good points and some bad points. We have three choices with respect to this effort. 1) Do nothing. It has survived a number of years; time will take care of it as it always has. 2) Do a few things. A few things can improve the situation. Let's do a few things and that will help. 3) Embrace a vision of the Center as a vital destination for tourist/visitors. Numbers 2 and 3 both offer opportunities. For some reason, I connected the renovation of the historic old recreation building with good things that can happen to Harwich Center. There is no question that the mixed-use project (cultural centers/affordable housing will "light up" the Historic District. From Thinkertoys:

Tick: "I'll never be able to do it."

Tock: "Just do a little bit at a time and get started. There's no reason why I have to do it on a crash schedule."

Another Tick: "I'll probably screw it up and then fail miserably."

Tock: "It doesn't have to be perfect. I might learn something and imagine how I'll feel when it's finally finished. I have a good track record of doing things well. Concentrate on the project, and my attitude will improve."

 Getting to the point: My point is that the Historic Harwich Center is a blank canvas. To transform it into a viable tourist/visitor destination will take imagination and work. Who is out there that can come up with a design of the Historic District: A design that complies with historic standards? What will the District look like when we reach a satisfactory point? It's all about creativity and we got a wonderful taste of this at the last meeting on the 27^th of March. See my last blog. As long as we have that nucleus, the power of those creative minds will carry the day. Others are invited to join. We need you and your ideas. Harwich is in good hands in this project. Stay tuned for announcements of future gatherings and the Clean-up Day on May 17^th.

Harwich Cultural Council: Next meeting is on Wednesday, April 9 at 4:00 p.m. at the Harwich Town Hall Library.

Good news about the Museum Of Natural History in Brewster: The Cape Cod Times featured a story today (April 5) about the success of the museum since it received a substantial donation. Bob Dwyer deserves a lot of credit for doing an excellent job managing the museum. It's always great to hear good news about a most important cultural organization on the Cape.

"Dine and Demo" Event: For those who attended the previous "Dine and Demo" event a while back, held at the proposed cultural center on Sisson Road (across from the Brooks Academy Museum), you will be happy to know that another luncheon and art demo is scheduled for April 29^th.

Lunch at noon, catered by Dave's Ribs, and an art demonstration at the center performed by Odin K. Smith, noted Cape artist. Admission: $25, includes lunch, demo, and donation. This fundraising event is sponsored by The Friends of the Harwich Cultural Exchange Centers, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization. Watch for press releases in local papers for more details.

Trip to Italy: Don't forget the Sorrento Italy trip sponsored by the Harwich Cultural Council. A great vacation trip is scheduled through Durgin Travel in November 2008. For information and applications contact Dorothy Hemmings at dotcapecod@yahoo.com.

Board of Selectmen's Subcommittee: Next meeting on Tues. April 8 at 1:00 p.m. in the Griffin Room, Harwich Town Hall. Subject: The Request for Proposal for the mixed-use cultural center/affordable housing project which will be issued on April 10.

Have a great weekend.

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More About the Historic Harwich Center Initiative

 "Instead of a place selling art, it's about arts, history, and culture selling a place."  Elizabeth Hude, Assistant Town Planner.

Forty members of the Harwich community, representing the town government, community service groups, and private business owners, met on Thursday, March 27, 2008 to review previous meeting results and to gather more ideas for the revitalization of the Historic Harwich Center. Elizabeth Hude, chaired the meeting and presented the mission of the Historic Harwich Center Initiative. She then solicited ideas from the group and got a lively response.

The mission is to enhance the Historic District and the Center business district to make the area a tourist/visitor destination and to create a "brand" for marketing the area as an enjoyable destination.

            Ms. Hude highlighted some of the long-term issues that will involve several changes in the infrastructure, e.g. placing the telephone wires underground, designing and fixing the sidewalks for visitors to explore the area, changing the street lighting to make the area resemble the earlier days of Harwich, and expanding parking spaces; in essence, designing the district to attract businesses and to attract visitors to the Center as a destination. Some of these issues were outlined in a Harwich Center Initiative Report drafted in 2000. The creation of the Exchange Park is one of them, as well as signage and crosswalks.

The main purpose of this meeting was to elicit ideas that can be implemented in the short-term. Ms. Hude suggested the following:

• o Remove the metal fence that isolates the Exchange Park.
• o Spruce up the kiosk in the Exchange Park, painting it and posting current information about upcoming events in Harwich.
• o Clean windows, yards, and parking areas in the district.
• o Add flower arrangements in as many businesses as possible to brighten the district for this summer.

Excellent ideas came from the group:

• o Tim Obrien, owner of the bed and breakfast on Parallel Street, suggested moving the Chamber of Commerce kiosk, now located at the Getty Station, to the Flex bus stop.
• o Deb Bailey, Harwich resident, suggested making the Exchange Park more inviting by building a walkway to the kiosk with benches placed there so that visitors who buy food at the local restaurants can sit and enjoy the park and read the postings at the kiosk.
• o Ed McManus, Selectman, noted that the signage on Route 6 indicates that services are offered at Exit 9. This needs to be changed.
• o Leo Cakounes, popular Cranberry grower, urged that the town should take an active role in attracting new businesses to the area to fill the current vacancies.

John Prophet, Co-Chair of the Harwich Cultural Council stated, "When the new affordable housing is built on the site of the old recreation building and when the historic building is renovated, the changes will "light up" the Historic District. We want people to take Exit 10 and be attracted to the district.

Future meetings will be forthcoming to build on the progress so far.

Friends of the Harwich Cultural Exchange Centers, Inc. Next meeting Wednesday, April 2 at 5:00 p.m. at the O.R.B. (New designation for the old rec. building coined by Cultural Council member, Toney Hopkins)(on Sisson Road across from Brooks Academy Museum). Visitors welcome, as well as potential new members. We need your ideas for cultural programs and help in meeting our goals which we will explain when you get there.

Harwich Cultural Council. Next meeting Wednesday, April 9 at 4:00 p.m. at Harwich Town Hall. Visitors are always welcome. We have one opening for a new member. Come and see what we are doing for Harwich. On tap is a community needs survey which we are planning to launch some time in late May and we have a wonderful trip planned through Durgin Travel. See below.

Trip to Sorrento: The Harwich Cultural Council, in association with Durgin Travel, is sponsoring a trip to Sorrento, Italy in November 2008. For information contact Dorothy Hemmings by e-mail at dotcapecod@yahoo.com. Get your passport updated now at the Harwich Community Center and prepare yourself for a terrific vacation trip. A portion of each ticket will go to the Council for its grant pool.

Update on RFP for Cultural Center/Affordable Housing Project. Next meeting of the Work Committee is scheduled for Tuesday,  April 8 at 1:00 p.m. The RFP is scheduled to hit the street on April 10. More about that later, but the important issue is our hope that one developer will bid on the entire mixed-use project, i.e. affordable housing and building renovations on the sites of the O.R.B. (old rec. building) and West Harwich School. This is a great opportunity for a company to change the landscape of the Harwich Historic District and to make both buildings accessible to the public. Nothing like this has happened since the destruction of the Exchange Building; a chance to recover what was lost many years ago.

Have a great week!!

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Decisions, decisions, decisions

Decisions: About a week ago, I looked up some information about Ben Franklin. I know, maybe my medications worked overtime. I remember in my training days in sales, a method used to close a sale was the Ben Franklin technique for decision-making.

On a piece of paper, draw a horizontal line at the top, then, at the halfway point draw a vertical line, thus forming two columns. Over the left column, write "Against" or "Disadvantages" and on the right, "For" or "Advantages".

I thought about this technique when the matter of the bidding process for the RFP (Request for Proposal) for the mixed-use cultural center/affordable housing project came up (several times over the past six months).

At issue was whether to send the RFP out asking for one bidder (Master developer) for the entire project, i.e. building renovations and affordable housing on each of the two historic sites, namely, the old rec. building site on Sisson Road and the West Harwich School.

Currently, however, the RFP will go out with that option, but will include additional options as well that separate the housing from the renovations. A builder will be able to bid on the entire project, or on housing alone, or renovations alone. My intent here is not to question the vote of the Work Committee. What's done is done, but it might help to clarify the consequences of some of the bids that come in. There is no question that preference will be given to the housing.

Get out a piece of paper. Write the problem across the top: One Master builder RFP vs. Separate options.

In the left column, "Disadvantages", write the following:

• 1) Single point accountability for the entire project is lost if the separate set of options are exercised, something a builder, I think, will appreciate.
• 2) If the separate options are exercised, there will be two leases instead of one.
• 3) High risk of getting no bids for the renovations at all if bids are allowed for housing only, which is most likely to happen.
• 4) Single point site management will be lost. Under the One Master Builder concept, the Master Builder will be responsible for site management, but if housing alone is elected, then the matter of who manages the land on which the buildings stand comes into play.
• 5) If only the housing is bid on, there is a very high likelihood that we will have new housing on both sites with two dilapidated buildings there.
• 6) If housing alone is bid on, with no offers to do the renovations, the mixed-use concept goes out the window.
• 7) If housing alone is bid on, the Town will lose an opportunity to get the renovations done in a timely fashion with buildings up to code for lease to an organization that will put the buildings back in use for the public.
• 8) If housing alone is bid on, the buildings will remain on the Town's maintenance budget.
• 9) The Town may lose, in the long run, an opportunity to add two historic buildings to the registry of historic buildings.

In the right column, "Adantages" write;

• 1) The One Master Builder concept ensures that the building renovations are accomplished in a timely fashion.
• 2) With One Master Builder, single point accountability simplifies the leasing process to one lease.
• 3) The One Master Builder concept significantly reduces the possibilities of conflict.
• 4) The One Master Builder concept keeps the mixed-use idea in place.
• 5) In short, the opposite of each of the disadvantages is true.

What do you think? Which option is best for Harwich?

We can only hope that we find a builder who shares our vision of a mixed-use project that will be a model for towns throughout New England. Not since the destruction of the Exchange building has there been an opportunity to change the landscape of Harwich.

Historic Harwich Center Initiative: Things are happening.

Mark this date on your calendar: Thursday, March 27 at 3:00 p.m. at the proposed cultural center on Sisson Road (across from Brooks Academy Museum). The Initiative is a community-planning project facilitated by the Harwich Planning Department. Participants include residents, business owners, cultural and historic organizations, as well as recreational, housing, traffic safety and education sectors.

The focus of the gathering of all of these community assets is on enhancing and promoting the natural, historic, cultural and recreational assets of Harwich Center as a way to attract more visitors and residents to the area and in turn stimulate the Town's economy and social vitality.

Come and share your ideas with others in this important work. This is an open invitation to everyone who has an interest in and/or an idea about how to shape the Historic District and the Harwich Center business district to make it a tourist destination. Really exciting stuff!!!!

More excitement in the offing:

The Cranberry Festival committee is in the process of reactivating the Cranberry Festival Parade. Wow! This is an enormous undertaking requiring funds, participants (including floats), and volunteers. If you would like to donate to or join the cause, contact the Cranberry Festival Committee. E-mail Kathy Peterson at kathypeterson@yahoo.com for information.

Have a great week.

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Uneasy Times

Keeping your eyes on "The Big Picture". I keep saying that to myself as the days dwindle down. Maybe I shouldn't get myself all riled up, impatient, (and, at the same time depressed) about current matters. I'm not talking about the Iraq war, the election campaigns, the economy, Darfur, or anything about worldly events. I'm concerned about little old Harwich.

It's so easy to get bogged down in details and lose sight of "The Big Picture". I have one in my own mind, but I don't know (I really don't know) what anyone else is thinking; this, despite all of the clarion cries for "collaboration", "synergy", and all of that.

Harwich, along with the Cape as a whole for that matter, has so much to offer, it is mind boggling. You can't count on one hand the number of charitable deeds and events that go on in the town. I often wonder what would happen if there was an assembly of all of the volunteers that run these things. There isn't a hall big enough to bring these people together in one room.

One thing I find missing is "The Big Picture" (otherwise known as The Heart and Soul of Harwich). No one is working on that as a special project. Granted we have the water projects, the new high school, the police and fire station, and more, but it seems to me that so much energy goes into the individual projects there is nothing left to keep everyone's eyes on The Big Picture. Not having any involvement in any of the major projects at hand, I can only speak from my point of view as I work on the Cultural Council, the Harwich Historic District revitalization, the Friends of the Harwich Cultural Exchange Centers, Inc., the Schools of the 21st Century, and the Mixed-Use RFP Work Committee, and lately, in a somewhat low capacity, on the Cranberry Festival Parade, and I find that the most difficult job in all of these efforts is projecting the vision that each organization has for the town as a  whole. I believe that when The Big Picture disappears from view, all of the projects, events, fundraisers, in town become uphill exercises with energy loss.

Recently, I experienced a month of atrial fibrillation and flutter. My pulse rate hit 15o and stayed that way for the whole time. Walking from the living room to the kitchen was like running a marathon. And so it is with working on committees. When the pulse rate is high, but not from the exercise, the distance to cover is like climbing Mt. Everest. Until a doctor took a look at what was happening to me, I was, indeed, in mortal danger or next  in line for having a stroke. Point is, until someone looks at the all of the activity in the town from the standpoint of contributing to The Big Picture, most volunteers will suffer burnout, if they haven't already, and the quality will diminish. Let me give you a few examples.

The Mixed-Use RFP Work Committee: I won't go into much detail about this. The next Board of Selectmen meeting on Monday, March 17, 7:00 p.m. at the Town Hall will air much of the concerns with the process of developing the RFP (Request for Proposal) for the mixed-use, cultural center/affordable housing project for the Sisson Road site and the site of the West Harwich School. I hope this meeting will clear the air. It is a perfect example of what can happen when The Big Picture is diminished or lost sight of. In short, the affordable housing portion of the project is extremely important to the town. It should have been done years ago. The effects it can have on the economy are indisputable. Everyone talks about how important it is to have work force housing available for lower income people who work in the town. The other piece of the project is the renovations of the historic buildings that have been a blight on the town for too many years. The two buildings are the last town-owned historic properties. Picture, if you will, what it will be like to see the buildings restored, placed on the historic register, and put back in use, and revitalize the Historic District.  At the present time, the buildings are costing the town about $18,000 per year to keep one open and the othe protected with a fire alarm. Think what the proposed changes will look like. If you adopt these visions, your commitment will be firm and dedicated to moving as quickly as possible within the bounds of legal process. Why then, are we six months behind schedule with more delays to come? Maybe some reasons will come to light on Monday night.

The Historic Harwich Center Initiative: This project, at its inception, was, and still is devoted to making the Historic District a tourist destination, but the goals have been expanded to include the enhancement of the creative economy of the entire town. Think about the Historic District changed in infrastructure, changed in program offerings, and changed to glorify the historic legacy of the town. Think about tourists taking Exit 10 to visit the town's historic area and the effects on the economy and the pride in the town. Will you commit to helping in this effort if you adopt this vision? Come to a meeting on Thursday, March 27 at 3:00 p.m. at the proposed cultural center on Sisson Road, Harwich Center (across from Brooks Academy Museum). Bring your ideas. Bring your vision of the town. Think of yourself as an asset of the town. Make yourself known. There is no committee membership per se. Right now, we need your brains.

The Harwich Cultural Council's mission is to advocate for and provide cultural activities for the benefit of town by issuing grant awards to individual artists and organizations with monies provided by the Town meeting, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and through gifts and donations. Its biggest fundraiser is a Trip to Italy in November in connection with Durgin Travel. Contact Dorothy Hemmings at dotcapecod@yahoo.com for details. A part of the overall cost of the trip will be donated to the Council. Update your passport at the Community Center and get ready for a great vacation trip.

In summary, ask yourself: "What is my vision for Harwich? How is what I'm doing contributing to a common purpose bigger than myself? Who will determine what The Big Picture is for Harwich?

Peace and prosperity to all!!

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If You Were an Artist

If you were an artist, an architect, or someone with a vision and a talent for transforming your vision into something real for people to reflect on, what would you conceive for the Harwich Historic District?

Have you seen Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on TV where they renovate a small home to make it more efficient for a family with special needs? Have you seen the work done by Habitat for Humanity where they build and rehabilitate homes to make them affordable? Have you seen the footprint at the site of the World Trade Center and the progress there? All of these projects start with a vision and are moved to reality by the deployment of resources.

I'm sure everyone will agree that the Harwich Historic District needs an extreme makeover in order to make it a tourist destination. The needs have been well-documented in a Harwich Center Initiative Report completed in the year 2000. Some of those needs have been met, for example, the brick walkway, the Exchange Monument, and the kiosk at the site of the Exchange Building. Crosswalks have been laid out for traffic control and a group of signs put up.  These things were done piecemeal. There are times when "works in progress" do well, but there are times when things need to get done pronto.

But, here's the deal. No one drew (or has drawn)  a picture, an architectural drawing, or made a topographical display of the district as it would look when finished. The East Harwich Plan is well-documented with drawings and maps. But, nothing like this was or has been done for the historic district. Why? I don't know. How can we convince the townspeople that a revitalized Historic District is good for the creative economy of the town in countless ways if we don't have a display for them to look at, critique, or  make suggestions? Maybe we should run a contest. Unfortunately, I can't drive a nail straight or draw a straight line with a ruler, but I hope someone will come forward with a suggestion as to how a display can be accomplished. I know it won't be free. But, I am calling for offers to do the job, a topographical display would be best, and let us figure out how to pay for it.

On another note, you can feel, I'm sure, my frustration over the progress of the RFP (Request for Proposal) for the affordable housing and building renovations at the Sisson Road and West Harwich School sites. If the current version of the RFP goes forward, the bidding will be optional. On the one hand, bidding for the entire project, i.e. one master builder for new housing and building renovations on both sites (highly recommended), or multiple builders to choose new housing separate from renovations. The latter will mean the possibility of four bids. In my mind, what builder will offer to do the building renovations? The whole concept of  "ONE MASTER BUILDER" is to ensure that the renovations are done, that the buildings are brought up to code for potential lessees (a turnkey operation) and that single point accountability will be maintained. Any other arrangement will be literally a bag of worms.

No lessee in his/her right mind would consider leasing either of the buildings in their current state. There are provisions available to the builder to carry out all four projects within an acceptable financial arrangement. For a small consideration, the builder can build the housing and do the renovations. However, if the new housing is built without the renovations, then the matter of the cost of the land lease will enter the picture and, if allowed to go forward, will leave the renovations out in the cold. So, I hope the Board of Selectmen will consider my argument for ONE MASTER BUILDER when they send out the RFP. Those of you who are Harwich residents, write to the Selectmen and urge them to accept the ONE MASTER BUILDER RFP.

Cultural Activity: A Visit with Henry David Thoreau. Bill Hutchinson, noted portrayer of historic characters will appear at the proposed cultural center on Sisson Road, Harwich Center (across from the Brooks Academy Museum) at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, March 3. Free admission. Donations gratefully accepted to defray expenses. Reception with refreshments and "meet the artist" follows the presentation.

Meeting announcements:

The Harwich Cultural Council regular meeting will be held in the library at Town Hall on Wednesday, 4:00 p.m. On the agenda is a community needs survey required by the Massachusetts Cultural Council. I have an online test version ready to go after the meeting. Stay tuned. Your ideas are most welcome as are donations to the grant pool which can be submitted by check made out to Harwich Cultural Council and mailed to Town Hall, 732 Main Street, Harwich, MA 02645.

In conjunction with Durgin Travel, the Council is offering a Trip to Sorrento in November, 2008. Part of the proceeds will be a donation to the Council's grant pool. Details and/or applications are available from Dorothy Hemmings. Her e-mail is dotcapecod@yahoo.com . Get your passport in order and enjoy a fabulous trip to Sorrento and surrounding area.

The Friends of the Harwich Cultural Exchange Centers, Inc. will meet at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 5 at the proposed cultural center on Sisson Road (across from Brooks Academy Museum). The Friends have been actively engaged in providing cultural activities at the center and fundraising for the establishment of cultural centers in Harwich. Visitors and potential members are always welcome to observe and contribute ideas. Donations by check can be made out to CEC and mailed to Jack Brown, 27 Vacation Lane, Harwich, MA 02645.

Have a great week!!

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About the Mixed Use/Affordable Housing Complex

Movement toward completion uncertain. Not much has been made public about the progress of the mixed-use/affordable housing complexes planned for the sites of the old Youth and Recreation building on Sisson Road, Harwich Center and  the West Harwich School. A Work Group has been meeting with the architect since the end of 2007 to iron out specifics with regard to the RFP (Request for Proposal) which will be issued as soon as it is ready. When that will happen is a good question. The meetings have been posted for public input.

The RFP was due for final approval last September 30. A revised RFP, the latest version arrived on February 4, so the project, so far,  is four months late. For sure, it is not as simple as it looks. The devil is in the details, like the number of affordable housing units on each site, zoning approvals, specific details of the building code applied to the renovations of the historic buildings, and much more. In order for any project to move toward completion, there has to be a firm commitment to get it done. Without commitment, and monitoring of milestones, it is too easy to allow target dates or milestones to slip by. So far, the wheels are turning much too slowly for me, with stops and starts in untimely fashion. My impatience comes from not being able to get a handle on what is causing the holdups and who is doing what and that is disturbing. End of story for now.

Cultural Activities at the Sisson Road building. P. William ("Bill") Hutchinson, well-known portrayer of historic characters will present  Henry David Thoreau (in costume) on March 3, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. at the old Youth and Recreation building, 265 Sisson Road, Harwich Center.  Most impressive about this type of performance is the amount of research and work that it takes to perform. P. William (Bill) Hutchinson (Ph.D. in Theatre, Northwestern University) is Professor Emeritus of Theatre at Rhode Island College in Providence, RI, where he taught for 36 years before his retirement in 2004. His courses included acting, directing, history of theatre and theatre criticism, in addition to various workshops, including auditioning techniques. He has been performing in various media since the age of 15. His credits include film and television performances in The Scarlet Letter, Life Among the Lowly, and House of Mirth. His performance is free, although we will be grateful for a donation. Light refreshments will be served after the performance with an opportunity to talk with him.

Before the 11 o'clock performance, Bill will present at Harwich High School at 8:30 a.m.

Cultural Council Fundraiser - A Trip to Italy, Sorrento in November: The trip is a 9-day, 7 night tour of Sorrento, Italy and daily excursions to other world-famous destinations. Four star accommodations and more amenities, including a ferry ride to the Isle of Capri. Beautiful countryside, favorable November temperatures. For reservation information, contact Dorothy Hemmings at dotcapecod@yahoo.com . The trip is scheduled for November 10-18, 2008. Make your plans early, including updating or applying for your passport. Passport applications are now being offered at the Harwich Community Center. $100 of the base fare is a tax deductible contribution to the Harwich Cultural Council. Act now!

Community needs survey in the works: The Harwich Cultural Council, in May or June 2008, will be conducting a community needs survey by means of a questionnaire.  The Council is required by the Massachusetts Cultural Council to conduct a survey every three years. The purpose is to obtain input from the community about the types of cultural programs the Council should award grants to from its annual grant pool. We will be collecting information about accessibility, i.e. what barriers are there to attending cultural events; and preferences, e.g. workshops, classes, lectures, etc. We are most anxious to obtain a representative sample from each of the four precincts. In addition, I will be sending out the questionnaire electronically through Constantcontact.com. Please watch for the survey. It will be a great opportunity to participate and help in the planning for cultural activities granted by the Council.

Best wishes to all.

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About the Harwich Historic District

I have mentioned in my previous blog that a group has been formed to look into revitalizing the Harwich Historic District (and Harwich Center) and making it a tourist destination. You might want to scroll down to it as a reminder of what is at stake. As you can imagine, there are problems.

Problem 1 - Design: Notable historic districts, e.g. Concord, Lexington, Plimouth Plantation, Sturbridge Village, and others are well defined; each has its own place in history. When you visit any of  them, you enter a different world and come away with respect for the past. Obviously, visitors differ in their reactions, nonetheless, something happens. The Harwich Historic District in Harwich Center is a quaint village comprised of several buildings (Brooks Museum, Brooks Free Library, Albro House, the Rec. Building, et al), historic areas (Brooks Park, Exchange Park, the grounds at Brooks Museum et al), and monuments (Exchange Monument in Exchange Park, and those on the grounds at Brooks Museum) that reflect Harwich's unique place in history. How then are these elements "packaged" into a unified tourist attraction?   

"A local district can result in a positive economic impact from tourism. A historic district that is aesthetically cohesive and well promoted can be a community's most important attraction. The retention of historic areas as a way to attract tourist dollars makes good economic sense." Excerpted and adapted from Maintaining Community Character: How to Establish a Local Historic District by Pratt Cassity. National Trust for Historic Preservation. 2000.

Problem 2 - What resources are needed to resolve Problem 1?

What seems on the surface to be a relatively simple effort is quite complex.  There is a host of town officials and town committees that need to be involved in approvals for such things as zoning or cosmetic changes. I can think of at least nine and I'm sure there are more legititmate offices. Even the whole concept of revitalization and historic preservation may meet with resistance at some levels in the community. Of course, there are funding considerations. The downside is that, in the current climate and financial condition and projects on the table of the Town, there is not much to expect from taxpayers. The upside is grant opportunities, but we need a grant writer.

The key to the success of all projects in Harwich is support or endorsement from the highest offices, namely the Board of Selectmen. Such support creates an air of credibility and enhances fundraising efforts. We have not asked for this as yet. Nor have we asked that the Revitalization Group be recognized as a "legitimate" committee. There are good reasons for these decisions. On the latter, we don't want people to think that they have to "join" a committee in order to participate in the process. Technically, there is no membership. What a way to run a railroad, you say? So far, the response has been favorable to our commitment to baby steps. We cannot swallow the whole elephant in one gulp. We welcome all input from all corners of Harwich. On the former, we know that the BOS has a lot on its plate and that it is far better for them to receive a well thought out plan in more detail than we have right now. We have nothing to ask for nor do we have anything substantial to report to a formal BOS meeting. Up to now, most of the activity of the Revitalization group has been exploratory. Gradually, through the expertise of Elizabeth Hude, goals have been set and the activities are becoming more specific. We are confident that this strategy will work.

An important aspect of design is the artistic side. We need the creativity from the community to come up with a design that works. I am no artist. If left up to me, the District would end up looking like a Van Gogh, truly a classic, but not befitting of Harwich. We need the expert assistance of creative people to help with the design.

Problem 3 - Gaining momentum through community support.

How do we gain support from the community for this endeavor? How can we get the word out about the benefits of the effort? See my last blog for the benefits. The key word here is "how". Through what channels do we inspire the general public get behind the project? I mentioned grants as the means through which we might obtain funds. All grantors require documentation of community support for the types of grants we will be applying for. Community support, in general, means simply endorsement, no heavy lifting. Community support can also be exhibited through large or small donations for matching funds that might be required for a grant. Most important, is support from the business community. There is much to be gained throughout the town when additional tourists are attracted to the Historic District.

Current strategy (baby steps):

Meri Jenkins, Community Coordinator for Adams Grants at the Massachusetts Cultural Council has suggested that we create an "asset inventory" of Harwich, i.e. formulating a list of individuals, businesses, and organizations which comprise the "creative economy" to maximize the community input. So far, in January, two sessions were scheduled, attended by about 40 people at which time Elizabeth Hude, Assistant Town Planner explained the purpose of the session and attendees signed up. More sessions are planned for the future. Stand by for more information about this effort. Slowly but surely, with baby steps, we will keep the project moving forward.

Anyone interested in providing input on any of the problems, contact John Prophet at jprophet@earthlink.net.

Harwich Cultural Council(HCC): The next meeting of the Harwich Cultural Council will be held on Wednesday, February 13, at 4:00 p.m. at Town Hall. Visitors are always welcome. The Council has an opening.  Anyone interested in joining should apply at the Board of Selectmen's office at Town Hall, 732 Main Street, Harwich.

Cultural Council Fundraiser - A Trip to Italy, Sorrento in November: The trip is a 9-day, 7 night tour of Sorrento, Italy and daily excursions to other world-famous destinations. Four star accommodations and more amenities, including a ferry ride to the Isle of Capri. Beautiful countryside, favorable November temperatures. For reservation information, contact Dorothy Hemmings at dotcapecod@yahoo.com . The trip is scheduled for November 10-18, 2008. Make your plans early, including updating or applying for your passport. Passport applications are now being offered at the Harwich Community Center. $100 of the base fare is a tax deductible contribution to the Harwich Cultural Council. Act now!

Good health to all!!

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