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January 28, 2010

Crowd dreams big at Team Haverhill event

By Cara Spilsbury

Often, the words "possible dreams" can seem like an oxymoron, like "act naturally" or "same difference."

But not for Team Haverhill.

Monday night, the volunteer organization hosted its annual Possible Dreams brainstorming event. It's when residents discuss their desires for the city and how to make those visions a reality.

Team Haverhill's track record for making those dreams come true has been proven. Last saw several dreams come to fruition, including the Soles of Haverhill public art event, the revamped Farmer's Market at GAR Park, and increased recycling efforts in the city.

"Our city was getting positive attention from every direction," said Alice Mann, chairwoman of Team Haverhill.

This year, more than 120 people packed the Technology Center at Northern Essex Community College. Guests with varied interests included elected officials, teachers, administrative staff at local nonprofit organizations, life-long residents and newcomers.

When guests were asked by Team Haverhill officials to raise their hands if they had moved to the city within five years, about a quarter of the room raised a hand. When asked who was coming to the event for the first time, it seemed more than half the room raised a hand, a number that delighted the active Team Haverhill members dispersed throughout the venue.

The group separated into tables of four for a World Cafe-style meeting. In the foursomes, guests discussed the positive things they had seen in the city over the past year. Every attendee had a name tag, and was asked to introduce him- or herself to the others.

After 20 minutes, people were asked to find a new table to talk about possible projects for 2010. After another 20 minutes, guests moved once more and discussed what partnerships could be made throughout the city.

When the three rounds of discussion were complete, the group joined for an organized town hall-style meeting. A microphone was passed to whoever wanted to speak as guests shared what dreams they had heard during the evening.

Some ideas were simple and practical. Some were a little far-fetched. But no idea was disregarded. One thought seemed to piggy-back on another, as the momentum in the room picked up and Mann kept notes on a white tablet at the front of the room. A few ideas, like a dog park, a children's museum, and an independent movie theater, brought nods and smiles of agreement to the group. Others, like knocking down the Woolworth Building or creating a community arts center, elicited loud cheers and applause.

The next phase for the possible dreams hatched at the event will be at the Team Haverhill meeting on Feb. 8.

That's when the team will take action, honing in on the projects to focus on for the year and forming action committees to make those dreams happen.

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