[KEYSeNews] January 23, 2006

[Diane Brandon]

KEYSeNews January 23, 2007


1) Swimming, anyone?

2) January 24, Wednesday: Rte 1 Corridor Committee Meeting, Wells  
Town Hall, 9:30 - 11:30am

3) February 2, Friday: Mental Health Task Force Meeting, Kittery -  
Mental Health for Families with High Needs Children

4) February 9, Friday: Workforce Housing Coalition Meeting in York

5) February 21, Wednesday: Smart Growth Presentation at Portsmouth  
Chamber Breakfast

6) March 8, Thursday: Save the Date: The Natural Step for Communities  
Introductory Meeting in Portsmouth

7) March 26, Monday: Save the Date: Transportation Summit in Dover,  
NH for Rockingham, Strafford, and York Counties



Details

1) Swimming, anyone?

A swimming pool in the KEYS towns has been on everyone's wish list  
over the years. The YMCA in Portsmouth has expressed interest in  
building one on this side of the river, and the Y in Biddeford has  
send staff down to share information in the past. None of these ideas  
has come to fruition, but at the present there is an initiative to  
build a privately owned pool in York, on town land. Below is an  
explanation, and a website where you can learn more.

Press Release:

The Swim Center of Southern Maine (SCSM) is planning on building an  
indoor competition-size pool on Bog Road in York. This will be the  
only one of its kind in Southern Maine.  It is scheduled to be built  
in 2007, pending agreements made with the town and funding.

The founders are finding the education of the public concerning this  
type of public/private venture difficult. The majority of residents,  
in any town, would not approve bonds for facilities such as this due  
to the increase it would have on their property tax bill.    This  
pool will be built on town land, will be open to all, and receive no  
tax dollars.    The other pools in the surrounding area (Portsmouth  
and Dover) are subsidized by property taxes.  SCSM is not and  
therefore must charge more than other pools.  The founders believe  
the people who join them, the SCSM team, see the value and are  
choosing to make this a priority in the family budget.

The pool will offer year-round activities for people of all ages and  
abilities including senior swim, family swim, lap swimming, swimming  
lessons, water exercise classes, swim team practice, and physical and  
occupational therapy.

More information about the pool including membership fees is  
available on the website at www.scsminc.com.  Interested swimmers can  
also contact pool organizers Ann Grinnell and Kathryn Strand at  
207-439-0564 or scsminc at comcast.net.


2) January 24, Wednesday: Rte 1 Corridor Committee Meeting, Wells  
Town Hall, 9:30 - 11:30am

The focus of the meeting will be the prioritization of the Route One  
Action Plan. For details, email treinauer at smrpc.org



3) February 2, Friday: Mental Health Task Force Meeting, Kittery,  
Mental Health for Families with High Needs Children

Meetings are held at CSI's Center for Life Enrichment at Landmark  
Hill, 518 Rte 1 in Kittery, noon to 1:30 and bring your lunch along.  
This meeting will focus on parents with developmentally disabled or  
chronically ill children, and the mental health needs of the whole  
family. A support group for parents may form in the KEYS region, if  
there is enough interest.  For more information about the MHTF:  
http://www.keysregion.org/keys_ofbd/topics/MHTF.htm


4) February 9, Friday: Workforce Housing Coalition meeting in York   
http://www.seacoastwhc.org/

The meeting will be held at 8am at York Housing Authority, 4 Pine  
Grove Lane, York, ME. Phone for directions: 363-8444.


5) February 21, Wednesday: Smart Growth Presentation at Portsmouth  
Chamber Breakfast

7:30-9 a.m., Sheraton Harborside Portsmouth Hotel, 250 Market St.,  
Portsmouth, NH, $27 for non-members, but it looks like a great panel!  
For more information:  http://www.portsmouthchamber.org/smartgrowth.cfm


6) March 8, Thursday: More Study Circles Coming: The Natural Step for  
Communities Introductory Meeting

Save the Date, details coming in a February KEYSeNews. This is an 8- 
session series of study circles, held in homes, to read and discuss  
the book The Natural Step for Communities. A series will start in one  
or more of the KEYS towns soon after March 8th.


7) March 26, Monday: Transportation Summit in Dover, NH for  
Rockingham, Strafford, and York Counties, 9am to 3pm

Presenter JoAnn Hutchinson, United We Ride Coordination Ambassador -  
Save the Date, details coming soon.



Comments, questions, suggestions? Items for next KEYSeNews?   Email  
diane at keysregion.org





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