Presentation: Challenges, Opportunities and the Future of New England Village Centers (Feb. 5)

A presentation, Challenges and Opportunities: the Future of New England Village Centers, will be offered by Steven Cecil as the First Thursday Chester Rotary Club Program on Thursday, February 5, 2015 at 5:20PM at the Fullerton Inn, Chester, VT. The public is invited to join this important conversation and there is no charge and no RSVP is required.

The focus of this program will be the special challenges and opportunities in traditional New England town centers as commercial, civic and residential districts. The presentation and discussion will consider Chester in the context of regional trends, its location and assets. The presentation will provide examples and case studies of other communities that have similar characteristics, and describe what they have accomplished to reinforce their economic position while retaining their identity and character. After the presentation, an open discussion will focus on methods and strategies that can be used to help retain the quality of life and quality of place that is a hallmark of great New England towns.

Presenter Steven Cecil AIA ASLA is the President and founder of The Cecil Group, a multi-disciplinary planning and design firm in Boston. The firm is known for its ability to help communities "put the pieces together" to create successful districts, neighborhoods and projects. Among the many types of projects accomplished by the firm over the past two decades, Mr. Cecil's practice has included a special focus on planning and revitalization of traditional, historic towns and town centers throughout New England. He has worked with numerous individual communities in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Hampshire and with the Historic Trust for Preservation.