HAVE A GO AT GARDINER – A Heart and Soul Community Event.
Summary Report January 10 2013
Summary Report DRAFT
HAVE A GO AT GARDINER
A Heart and Soul Community Event
date: December 1st, 2012
time: 2pm – 4pm
location: Boys & Girls Club gym
1. WHAT WAS ‘HAVE A GO AT
GARDINER’?
‘Have a Go at Gardiner’ was a community open
house event held at the Boys & Girls Club on
December 1st, 2012 from 2pm to 4pm. The purpose
of the event was to reach out to Gardiner and
provide a forum for people to celebrate their
community and consider what makes Gardiner a
great place to live.
Local organizations were invited to participate by
hosting tables and asking visitors questions about
Gardiner. The Heart & Soul volunteer team also
hosted several tables including a Storytelling Corner,
a Community Timeline, a Local Heroes Wall, a ‘Most Important Thing About Gardiner’ photo booth, and a
Community Mural. Food was served, a jazz band and a local dance school provided entertainment, and a massage
therapist offered free chair massages.
Volunteers advertised the event with flyers posted around town and with ‘Heart Bombs’ which were placed
around town at night. Some volunteers canvassed nearby events on the same day. The event was also advertised
on Gardiner’s facebook page.
2. WHO WAS THERE?
Event coordinators estimate that about 150 people from
the Gardiner community attended. This included many
families and kids, and event volunteers said they saw a
lot of new faces (i.e. not ‘the usual’ people who show up
for such events). People were invited to put a pin on a
map of Gardiner to show where they lived. The results
are listed in the table to the right.
Organizations that hosted tables included: Gardiner Main
Street, Kennebec Land Trust, Valley Voice, Rotary,
Hockey Boosters, Johnson Hall, the Gardiner Library, and
the Boys & Girls club.
AREA
District 1
(around Highland Ave)
District 2
(along Cobossee Stream)
District 3
(Downtown and surrounding
neighborhood)
District 4
(South Gardiner)
Outside of Gardiner
COUNT
X
X
X
X
X
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HAVE A GO AT GARDINER – A Heart and Soul Community Event.
Summary Report January 10 2013
3. WHAT DID WE HEAR?
Gardiner is a great community!
People see a renewed sense of community spirit and
expressed their appreciation for their neighbors,
teachers, and the many people who volunteer to
make the community better.
Some of the most important things about Gardiner
are its history, architecture, people, businesses,
recreational opportunities, natural areas, and the
many local organizations that serve the community.
People also see lots of potential in Gardiner, and
aspire to see a re-invigorated and vibrant downtown,
Johnson Hall restored, more variety of shops and
galleries, more things to do for little kids and families,
more happiness and less hunger, improved
sidewalks, and more parks including a dog park and a
skate park.
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HAVE A GO AT GARDINER – A Heart and Soul Community Event.
Summary Report January 10 2013
4. DETAILED RESULTS
Local Hero Stories
My local hero is Karen Adrienne, because she has invested time and energy in the local arts community.
My local hero is Andy MacLean, because he took on
the job of mayor and has done a great job!
My local hero is my neighbor Shawn Willkens,
because he is always very helpful with anything we
need including lawn mowing, plowing, shoveling,
raking leaves, etc.
My local hero is Phyllis Gardiner, because in a very
steady, caring, and quiet way she gives her all to
Gardiner. We’re very fortunate to her thoughtful
way working for us.
My local hero is Megan Carlson, because she totally
rules and is super pretty and smaht.
My local hero is Mr. Michaud, because he is my
teacher and a very good storyteller!
My local hero is Barbara (Mystic Maine quilts),
because she taught me how to sew.
My local hero is Oaklands Farm (Logan
Johnston/Phyllis Gardiner), because it is a
phenomenal and important asset… and is home to
some great looking cows.
My local hero is my neighbor Adrianne, because
she takes such good care of my peonies for me… and I never even asked her to!
Gardiner Main Street Ideas
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Art gallery
Pet store
Bookstore
Video game Store
Art, History, and Science Museum.
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Natural food store
Bakery
Bull Moose Gritty’s Gelato Fiasco
Meat market
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HAVE A GO AT GARDINER – A Heart and Soul Community Event.
Summary Report January 10 2013
If You Had One Wish For Gardiner….
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I’d like to see big changes in our schools, to bring back programs that have been eliminated,
such as the industrial programs and some adult education classes for students. And
appreciation for our teachers.
MacDonald’s Bakery
A basketball court
Revitalized downtown
Renovated Johnson Hall
Creation of a _____ historical museum
Things for littler kids
Build up the gazebo for activities for
families
To have every shop downtown full
No hunger/enough food for everybody
Cheese
For everyone to be happy
A citywide composting program to keep
food out of the landfill
An environmental co-op in Gardiner
An open and allowed skateboard park
Johnson Hall fully opened up (upstairs)
Creation of a fully sustainable community
for the arts, food, and community
Better stores/better variety
To turn the train depot into something for
everyone
To be as busy every weekend as this
weekend
Fix the sidewalks, especially on Spring
Street
More things for kids to do at a low cost
A dog park
That more volunteers step up. Now just a
few people do it all.
Get kids more involved.
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HAVE A GO AT GARDINER – A Heart and Soul Community Event.
Summary Report January 10 2013
The Most Important Thing About Gardiner
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Boys and Girls Club – its name.
Small town appearance with big
town variety.
It’s fun and home.
School.
The renewed sense of community
spirit. And Bo the boxer @
Monkitree.
The river.
Holiday events.
History. Waterfront. Water Street
shopping. Community.
Its small town feel, so rare in
modern America.
Playground.
Ampersand Academy of Dance and
Performing Arts.
Our energy.
Happiness and caring.
The history.
The people!
Community. 
Rail Trail.
The playground! 
Its history.
Local business.
Community.
Downtown potential.
The people.
Reny’s and the library!!
The people!
The village raising the children!! Cub
Scouts, Girl Scouts, Music Boosters, PTA,
Sports Boosters, PTO.
The energy.
It’s a very friendly community.
Great fishing.
The stores and the rail trail.
Compact and walkable downtown.
All of the businesses.
Its architecture.
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HAVE A GO AT GARDINER – A Heart and Soul Community Event.
Summary Report January 10 2013
What Does Service in Gardiner Mean to You? (Rotary Table)
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Lending a helping hand where and when it is needed.
To make a better community for our
residents
People helping people (4)
Work. Doing good things.
Service: keeping our community reading!
Service to me means working as an individual
and/or group toward a common goal to help
solve a problem or issue for the betterment
of the group or community!
Supporting Gardiner’s organizations to
provide rec areas, education, food, etc. to the
people of Gardiner.
Feeding the hungry
Helping others
Helping people who live in Gardiner
People helping each other
Making your community a better place
A place to work and play!
Helping those in need at all times
A place I’m proud to call home…
People working together
Hands on volunteering in the community.
Fostering partnerships with other groups in our community
Helping others in our community
Community activities
A better place!
Neighbors being neighbors
To help everybody
Helping others who can’t help themselves!
Being willing to do whatever it takes to make our community the best it can be!
Be kind to one another
Building community
Giving others in need a hand
It means a lot of effort to improve the town
Volunteering in our schools and community centers (BGCGG)
Helping the hungry
Volunteering
Be nice to all
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HAVE A GO AT GARDINER – A Heart and Soul Community Event.
Summary Report January 10 2013
Timeline
KEY:
WHAT WE KNEW BEFORE ‘HAVE A GO’
WHAT WE FOUND OUT
TIMELINE:
1917- Post Office erected
1918- Gardiner General Hospital Opens
1920’s- Rotary club Founded
Bandstand constructed at Common
1930- Armory Built
1934- Gardiner Shoe Company began Opration
1936- Great Flood
1947- Brenda Born at Gardiner General
1lb Sirlloin Steak cost .90 in 1949
1950- Box Factory Burned
1950- Pray St School Built
1955- Gardiner Football
1956- Tonsils out at Gardiner General
1959- MSAD #11 Established
1960- Addition built on Central Street School
1962?- New High School Built
1963- Angela born at Gardiner Hospital
1969- New City Building Constructed
1970- Paper Mill Fire
1973- Heating Oil cost .19/Gallon
1976- Gardiner Regional Middle School
Constructed
1977- Gardiner/Randolph Bridge Constructed
Old Bridge torn down
1977-New American Legion Building
1978- Big to-do about building 7-11 across from Common
1978- Dr Gardiner and Dr Van Summern Open Gardiner Family Practice
1978- Gerri Doyle moved to Gardiner
1981- Angela Graduated GAHS
1983-87 Pray St School Mikal
1983- Dedication of Downtown revitalization Project
1988- Johnson Hall Purchased by Johnson Hall Inc
1989- Gardiner Family Chiropractic Opens
1991- The Therapy Zone Opens, providing quality therapeutic massage to Gardiner residents
1992- Laura E Richards School Opens
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HAVE A GO AT GARDINER – A Heart and Soul Community Event.
Summary Report January 10 2013
1994- Becky Moved to Gardiner
1997- Beck School Board Appointment
1999- Chick started work for Sewer District
2000- Norman moved to Gardiner
2002- Graduated from GAHS- Alyssa
2003- Boys & Girls Club moved to Pray Street School
2004- Judy and Karen moved here in 2004
2004- Barron and Ketcham families move to Gardiner
2004- Coombs family moves to High Holborn St
2005- Rob and Amy Buy Central Street School
2006- Boys and Girls club for my children
2006- Bob and Elizabeth move to Gardiner
2006- Moved to Gardiner!
2006- First trip to Reny’s- Tanya
2007- Johnson Hall Talent Show- Dylan Haskell!
2007- Gardiner High Football wins state championship
2008- Andrea L moved to Gardiner
2009 M. Lena Joy born
2009- GSI donates 1m to waterfront development
2010- Lindley family makes Gardiner its home
2010- “The Rising” Sculpture built and installed on waterfront
2010- Meg moved to Gardiner
2011- Todd Martin Moved to Gardiner
2011- Alex, Vero, Leo moved to Gardiner
2011- Gardiner’s Estonian Populations spikes up to one
2012- Waterfront Park Dedicated to Brian Rines
2012- Johnson Hall Camp
2012- Dorian, next Gardiner generation born
2012- John Ault and Kate Harris moved to Water Street
2012- I started at River View School
2012- Bill Barron elected to City Council
2012- First Annual Gardiner Youth Hockey “Day of Play”
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