New Partnership Forged Between FWC and USM

An innovative new partnership has been initiated between Friends of Woodford’s Corner and USM’s Muskie School of Public Service. Under the supervision of Professor Yusueng Kim, a class of seven graduate students will be assisting FWC in a semester long project to continue the mission of revitalizing the Woodfords Corner neighborhood. On Wednesday, the class met with members of the FWC to learn about the history of Woodford’s Corner and the steps FWC is taking to support the local community. In attendance from Friends of Woodford Corner was Teresa Valliere, Jennifer Ceide, and Eric Larsson, accompanied by Anne Ball, Director of Maine Downtown Center, a program under Maine Development Foundation. Following presentations from Ball and Valliere, a lively open discussion took place centered around what projects the class hopes to assist with. Topics ranged from supporting existing businesses and encouraging new growth, parking utilization and perception, promoting the neighborhood’s diversity, and historic preservation. Next week the class will meet Valliere for a guided tour of the neighborhood and expects to hone in on a project that will serve the benefit of Woodfords Corner residents, businesses, and property owners. More to follow from this exciting new partnership… (Summary by Neal Goldberg).