BERLIN – Town officials are expected to form an advisory committee in the coming weeks to aid in the redevelopment of Berlin Falls Park.
As officials discussed the array of new park reports recently made available on Monday, Mayor Gee Williams said he believed the next step in the process was the creation of an advisory committee. He said a panel of interested council members and citizens could help create a vision for the expansive property.
“It opens up a lot of possibilities,” he said. “We’re not going to set any artificial deadline just because we want to see things happen right away.”
Williams said the variety of reports presented provided the town with plenty of information to review as the future of the park was determined.
“I’m very excited we’ve finally gotten to this point but to think that all this is going to be developed in a couple years, even Santa Claus couldn’t do that,” he said.
He said the pieces and potential uses for the 64-acre property would gradually come together. He said he viewed it like a puzzle.
“We as a community will be cutting out those pieces and placing them as they make sense,” he said.
Uses for and projects within the park will be determined by public demand.
“Yes it’s ambitious and I know there are some people who think very small,” Williams said. “This town did not get to where it is by accepting what everybody else says is possible.”
Williams maintains that the development of the park will be a generational project.
“This is not a one and done project it’s one that will evolve with the community,” he said.
Admittedly grants and funding contributions will play a role in what projects at the park get completed first. Nevertheless Williams said forming an advisory committee was a critical part of the process.
Councilman Dean Burrell agreed. He said that while the reports would help determine the park’s future the people of Berlin would also contribute.
“We have preliminary numbers that can help drive these decisions of what and how that facility is going to be used,” he said.
Burrell praised the mayor’s decision to establish a committee to focus on the task.
“’What we want to do is in response to the people of Berlin,” Burrell said. “We don’t want this to be my vision or Gee’s vision … we want this park to be a vision of Berlin.”
