HAVERHILL — During the last two years, Team Haverhill, one of the city's leading volunteer organizations, has provided the push to introduce single-stream curbside recycling and revive the farmers market.
The group began working on its goals for 2010 last night and there was very strong sentiment for breathing new life into the corner of Merrimack and Main streets, where the vacant, boarded-up Woolworth building has stood for more than 40 years. Team Haverhill's Possible Dreams session at Northern Essex Community College drew 120 residents.
"This is the year to get rid of the Woolworth building," City Councilor Mary Ellen Daly O'Brien declared, as people applauded and many heads nodded in agreement. Others wondered about the fate of another vacant store, the former Kmart building in Westgate Plaza.
There also was overwhelming support for expanding single-stream curbside recycling to the rest of the city. At present, the service is offered to residents along the Tuesday and Wednesday trash routes.
Under single-stream recycling, residents can mix all their plastic, glass, metals and paper in a single bin.
Mayor James Fiorentini started curbside recycling last summer. He has said he'll extend it to the rest of the city if the program proves to be successful on the two trash routes.
More than a few residents called for completing the boardwalk on the downtown side of the Merrimack River and building a rail-trail on the Bradford side. Other ideas included offering more entertainment downtown; organizing a Summer Stroll, besides the Christmas Stroll; setting up a cultural arts center; and putting a bookstore and an independent theater downtown.
The river received much attention, with numerous residents urging the city to make greater use of that resource. As Sharon Felter, who lives near the river, pointed out, "It's a lot cleaner than it used to be."
Rick Barber, the assistant city clerk, suggested Team Haverhill consider organizing a Riverfest.
Noting Haverhill's emerging reputation as a nice place to dine, Fran Hogan called for a "communitywide event involving culinary students."
Jim Fonseca, a veteran Team Haverhill member, said he would like to see neighborhood coalitions make a comeback.
Alice Mann, chairwoman of Team Haverhill, said the organization will now begin to figure out which goals — or dreams — it will work on during 2010.
The group's next meeting will take place Feb. 8, from 7 to 9 p.m., in the community room of Pentucket Bank, 1 Merrimack St. Any city resident is eligible to attend and become a member of Team Haverhill.
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