In our discussions, we found it useful to always come back to these core values, and use them to shape and refine our ideas. For example, a proposal for an after school program might be refined by considering the transportation impact, and reinforce the need for an expanded shuttle bus system. A proposal for mixed use zoning in the downtown area, which would bring more affordable housing, might be accompanied by a provision that placed a limit on the amount of on street parking available to the downtown dwellers.

Eventually, our discussions crystallized around three distinct topics:

A. Education and enrichment.

This topic began by being about children, but the more we brainstormed, the more we realized that our best proposals could be expanded to all age groups.

B. Balanced growth and access.

Part of what makes Portsmouth a wonderful place to live is it's economic and cultural vitality. We recognize that we can't just freeze the town in time, but we want to be sure that growth is always accompanied by full continued access to our waterfront, our open spaces, and our quiet neighborhood streets. And a continuing theme was that increased access to the town should be provided by expanded public transportation. We feel that it may be necessary for the city to take a leap at some point by boldly expanding the bus schedule.

C. Meeting the needs of children an youth.

We decided to make this a separate topic, to distinguish it from Education and Enrichment. We'd like to see attention paid to the problem of providing affordable childcare, for example. We'd also like to see attention paid to the needs of our teenagers, such as identifying places where they can congregate and socialize.

Underlying all these discussions was the feeling that we are talking about a city/town that is thriving, and in many ways, doesn't need "fixing". Rather, we feel that it is a city/town that is populated by folks that choose to remain here, and would like to contribute to it's continued vitality and success. It is in this spirit that we present two ideas that especially captured the imaginations of the group. These are what we came to call "The River Walk", and the "Rec Department of the Mind".

The River Walk

Over and over again, the value we all placed on walking in Portsmouth was emphasized. This may be why the idea of a riverfront walk, stretching from Prescott Park all the way to the tugboats, got people particularly excited.

Evidently this is an idea that has been kicking around for a while, but we

are here to endorse it.

We envision a sort of riverfront boardwalk that provides free and easy access to the water's edge. It would be liberally sprinkled with benches, and vendors booths in the summer, and the result would be a promenade that served to celebrate much of what is special and appealing about the city.

Seen from an economic perspective, the River Walk is just a way to emphasize and highlight those aspects of the town that make it so successful in drawing visitors to come here, to spend time here, and to shop in our stores and eat in our restaurants. Beyond that, it's a way for residents and visitors alike to celebrate its nautical charm and to mingle with like-minded people.

The Rec Department of the Mind

The discussion of this idea began with someone's observation that there is a dearth of after school programs for school-age kids, especially in the off-season. Somehow it seems that in a town this rich in resources, like all the historic buildings, Strawbery Banke, etc., you might expect there to be more for kids to get involved in.

What if you had a civic organization who's charter was to facilitate mental enrichment, analogous to the way a traditional rec department offers athletic enrichment? This department would offer the staff, space and budget to facilitate a range of activities, from cooking classes, to chess clubs, to seminars at Strawbery Banke on how to build a traditional dory.

We intend the term "mental recreation" to be very broad, encompassing cooking classes and chess clubs. The Rec Department of the Mind would provide the space for these classes to occur, the publicity to get the word out, and other administrative support.

The department would offer staff, space, and a budget for publicizing classes. The classes could be offered by community members.