Revitalizing Houlton’s downtown has been an ongoing goal of municipal leaders for several years and will likely continue to be a topic of discussion for many more years to come.
Houlton’s situation is not unique. Downtowns across the nation have suffered over the past decade as developers have shifted to a “big box” mentality, leaving local shop owners questioning “what about us?”
Many years ago, the downtown underwent a transformation, as the hope was if the area looked more appealing aesthetically, new business and shoppers would follow. Unfortunately, that scenario did not translate into the economic boon town officials hoped for.
Still, a pleasant looking downtown is a good starting point, and Houlton’s historic downtown certainly scores high marks in that department. To keep it looking fresh, the town will soon be removing all of the trees in the downtown, thanks in part to a state “Project Canopy” grant.
Project Canopy is a collaboration between the Maine Forest Service and GrowSmart Maine designed to keep Maine communities green with trees, particularly in Maine’s downtowns. Houlton won an $8,000 grant, provided the town kicks in a matching $8,000 in the form of cash or in-kind services.
The town council held a special meeting Monday evening to consider ordering 28 ivory silk lilac trees in the amount of $5,880 from Sprague’s Nursery and Garden Center of Bangor to be planted in downtown Market Square. If the town wants the trees for a May delivery, the order needed to be placed quickly, because of the growing season.
This particular type of tree was recommended to the town for its beauty, growth rate and hardiness. The ivory silk lilac differs from more traditional lilac trees in that it grows in more of an upright shape, according to study done by the University of Florida. It is becoming one of the more popular “street trees” in many communities for their hardiness. They grow to a height of about 20-30 feet and bloom with white/cream colored flowers in the spring.
After the trees are purchased, the town will have about $10,000 left to cut down all of the existing trees, and remove all of the stumps and roots. The existing trees are at least 20 years old, so chances are those roots are pretty extensive and may well wind up costing the town more than the grant initially covered. It will be interesting to see if any portion of the town’s sidewalks or roads need to be dug up in the process.
Once complete, however, the town will once again be able to boast of having one of the most beautiful downtowns in the state. Hopefully, that positive image will lead to more development, so those buildings that are currently vacant can become vibrant businesses for our community.
Joseph Cyr is a staff writer for the Houlton Pioneer Times. His opinions are his own and do not necessarily reflect that of the newspaper. He can be reached at pioneertimes@nepublish.com or 532-2281.
