ISLESFORD

NEIGHBORHOOD

HOUSE

 

back to INH website

 

August 20, 2008 INH Visioning

Clustering Statements

(Bulleted items below cluster statements come from the original Post-its.)

In 2013...

  1. The NH will have an energy efficient kitchen. (i.e. restaurant-style dishwasher, "Energy Star" stove)
    • Restaurant type dishwasher
    • Larger, more functional kitchen
    • Larger kitchen, more workspace, storage for dinnerware
    • Bigger kitchen
    • Better kitchen
    • Community kitchen

 

  1. The NH will own a generator large enough to run the building during a power outage.
    • Kitchen use in emergency
    • Emergency shelter for power outages with generator
    • Generator on site for power outages
    • Generator for all those power outages
    • Emergency shelter during power outages
    • Self contained generator

 

  1. The NH will be the recreational and cultural center, with dance classes, art classes, cooking classes, low impact exercise, yoga, plays, bright lights, ballroom dancing, activities, games, sports equipment for community members to use for game nights, bingo, 2-on-2 basketball games when the school court is frozen over and after school opportunities for kids.
    • More kids = more activities
    • Art classes (e.g. figure drawing)
    • Pumpkin carving party
    • Baking/cooking classes
    • Harvest supper for entire community in one space
    • Ballroom dancing
    • Dancing
    • Dance lessons
    • Concerts
    • Community get-togethers, fundraisers (Islesford Fair), Harvest Supper! post-Harvest Supper!
    • The school children should be using the NH as a gymnasium - for games, physical fitness, perhaps theater, music. If a health clinic is added, a school nurse could visit and assess the children for physical defects, immunizations, health teaching.
    • Parties, community meetings, fitness center, arts center, practice space, lounge space... all year round
    • Awesome lights
    • More light
    • Better fitness equipment
    • Weights, gym equipment, exercise machines - promoting healthy lifestyle
    • Low impact exercise class for older citizens
    • Quiet study space
    • Year round community center
    • Craft fair
    • Holiday cookie swaps
    • Meeting place
    • Realistic
    • Cafe/informal daily gathering space
    • Getting other ideas from congregating
    • Lots of support from community
    • Peace

 

  1. "Large" room will be insulated and heated in winter so all can come to planned activities. (some olders can't go up and down stairs)
    • Handicapped access to all winterized areas
    • Renovate upstairs room - repair damaged wallpaper, broken mirrors
    • Large hall still has wainscoting and ceiling beams show between insulated panels
    • Heated building with running water and bathroom in winter.
    • 2 bathrooms
    • running water year round
    • septic installed
    • septic system
    • winterized
    • provide heat for expanded use in winter

 

  1. The NH will be insulated, heated and have running water year round, and the second floor spaces will be expanded where appropriate to meet the uses of the library, a computer center and the history room; yet these changes should retain the architectural look and feel of the current hall and be accessible to all, including handicapped access.
    • Bigger
    • Preserve original building as much as possible - expand, improve, update
    • Living room space modernized
    • Larger winter community needs better space to meet in winter
    • Put 2nd floor on history room - Library? Computer center?
    • Is it change? Or caring about the year round residents too!
    • Tear it down, salvage everything possible and build a new one that is like old one but much bigger and up to date

 

  1. The NH will be a community center for year-round gatherings which will include tea socials, pot-lucks, dancing and gatherings for all.
    • Available for more informal gatherings
    • Inter-island gatherings
    • Pot-luck dinners, dances, plays, games, social gatherings
    • Monthly pot-luck or community dinners
    • A lunch every other week to bring school kids and elders together
    • After school activities in winter months
    • Tea time and gatherings for community members

 

 

  1. The NH is a year-round cultural center providing performance arts and film.
    • Cultural events
    • Cultural center
    • Performance center
    • Islesford Theater Project!
    • A play taking place in winter as well as summer
    • The elder players present... (Ashley B)
    • Community plays
    • Summer and winter theater for plays and film
    • Movie nights in the winter
    • Year-round movie night
    • Year-round movie nights
    • Winter movies

 

  1. The NH is powered by renewable energy sources and operates with increased energy efficiency.
    • Solar panels
    • Solar panels
    • Renewable energy
    • Green decisions
    • GREEN
    • Wind mill
    • Windmill
    • Radiant floor heat
    • Turn lights off
    • Looks generally the same, but more efficient
    • The hall is winterized, using probably a combination of passive solar, good insulation, and a source of renewably produced electricity.
    • Would like to see easier, comfortable, green, year-round use for gatherings

 

  1. The NH will have expanded facilities and opportunities for sports, games, health  and fitness.
    • Year-round yoga
    • Yoga
    • Games; need more good space to play
    • Wii bowling tournament
    • Basketball games; volleyball games
    • Athletics - basketball, tennis, whatever else can fit on the floor. Fitness room - weights, machines. Health - small health center.
    • Basketball tournaments
    • Full court basketball court
    • Full court basketball with other sports - indoor tennis, soccer, etc.
    • Better resources for all ages, especially youth - youth group, movie collection, tv, video games, games.
    • School sports

 

  1. The NH will increase its availability to the community through longer hours in library or open doors to all, always. Thus increasing the community's sense of ownership.
    • Always open
    • Open hours for people to come and use resources, play games, meeting center. Access to Neighborhood House
    • Library hours extended week-long all year long
    • Everyone feeling a sense of ownership

 

  1. The NH will be able to provide food, resources, and shelter to the community during emergency situations like power outages.
    • Storage of emergency food and shelter and survival supplies
    • Emergency shelter - cots, food, use of stove
    • A generator
    • Food, cots, and other emergency supplies are stocked including renewable energy for electricity
    • Emergency shelter with energy generated on-island
    • Use in power outages
    • Warm place to sleep, cook
    • Emergency shelter
    • Open for cooking

 

  1. The NH will be funded by grants and fundraising while providing in return more job and volunteer opportunities for community members.
    • More job opportunities
    • Community members volunteer hours to assist in making building available to everyone
    • Community financial support
    • Funded by grants and fundraising

 

  1. The NH will be an energy efficient, green, year-round facility powered by local, sustainable energy sources.
    • Green building
    • "Green" insulation throughout building
    • Green building
    • Heating system that makes use of renewable fuel sources
    • Green energy
    • Solar power
    • Solar panels on roof for heating
    • Install solar heat panels
    • Solar panels
    • Solar hot water and heat
    • Fuel/power options. Is solar feasible?
    • More efficient heating (well winterized, easily sectioned off areas)
    • Winterized. Wind power to generate
    • New windows with high R factor
    • Fully insulated, winterized (water and toilet) building keeping as much original character as possible.
    • Winter portion heated with water; leave large summer hall mostly alone

 

  1. The NH will provide space for a wide spectrum of health care opportunities
    • A room available for telemedicine clinic
    • Telemedicine
    • Telemed clinic
    • Health education classes
    • Healing arts center
    • Love the energy of the building as a space for spiritual/physical practice

 

  1. The NH will be a destination for community members to access workshops, lectures and educational opportunities.
    • Housing for visiting speakers/instructors/educators
    • Community members teach each other at Neighborhood House: workshops; community and other speakers; discussion and debates
    • More visiting music/lectures/etc.
    • How about some debates on local and world affairs

 

  1. The NH will host experts from off-island as well as local resources in offering learning opportunities such as classes, seminars, workshops, and lecture series on a year-round basis.
    • Ed., music, gardening available for all
    • Workshops given by artists
    • Summer lecture series on current events using island speakers
    • The INH is a center for education
    • All kinds of workshops that people have interest in
    • Occasional cooking course
    • Lecture series
    • Lectures
    • Year-round seminars
    • Demonstrations
    • Art classes. Writing workshops
    • Dance class

 

  1. The NH will have a redesigned kitchen that's better organized, has more work space and increased storage capacity.
    • Community freezers
    • Dishwasher in kitchen
    • Less cramped kitchen
    • Keep things well stocked and organized. Coffee, tea, lemonade, etc.
    • More useful kitchen, stocked, bigger, more counter space, organized

 

  1. The NH will have improved equipment, including furniture, seating, and lighting and sound systems.
    • Better chairs!
    • Better lighting
    • Better lighting
    • Great sound system
    • More comfortable furniture in parlor
    • Comfortable chairs
    • Wooden folding chairs
    • Couches
    • Supplied with generally needed equipment

 

  1. The NH offers a wide variety of options for recreational, athletic, fitness and well-being programs.
    • Full size video games... Ms. Pac Man
    • Used the same way as it is today (full size basketball court would be nice)
    • Weekly exercise class
    • Pool table
    • Pool table
    • Dance classes and dance time
    • Dance parties
    • Disco ball!!!
    • Multi-use
    • Basketball games
    • Kid's play time once a week
    • Full court B-ball
    • Exercise equipment... not cheap stuff, good quality, durable, long lasting, well thought out
    • Workout room
    • Exercise class
    • Ballroom dancing class
    • Pool table / Ping pong
    • Pinball
    • Bowling alley in the basement
    • Swimming pool
    • Use of main room for basketball
    • Yoga, exercise classes, dance classes
    • Yoga
    • Indoor soccer / handball / floor hockey
    • Yoga class
    • Winter programs: ballroom dancing lessons, yoga, movies
    • Devoted fitness space

 

  1. The NH will continue to foster an atmosphere of shared respect and responsibility for the use of a clean and comfortable space by community members!
    • Parking limitations
    • Private use?
    • Better sensitivity to the needs of the community
    • Looks the same
    • Usable space
    • Comfortable meeting space for 15-20 that is cozy
    • Welcoming
    • Where to go to have fun with many friends
    • Warm and comfortable
    • Shared responsibility
    • K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple stupid) Let's remember how small our community is.
    • Looked after and cared about by many community members
    • Family values

 

  1. The NH has an effective septic and toilet system.
    • Composting toilet moved elsewhere
    • Better septic system
    • Limitation of septic - land use item
    • Is there possibility of a septic system other than a composting toilet
    • Use recently developed green technology to have a real "septic" rather than a holding tank to reduce pumping costs and to have a year round toilet

 

  1. The NH fosters business development and employment on the island.
    • Potential workplace (generally?)
    • Internet use, wireless community
    • Office space rentable or usable

 

  1. The NH will act as a health care facility that provides emergency, preventative and assistive care for all members of the community.
    • Health clinic
    • It may work short-term this year until a separate building can be constructed for a health clinic. 3 rooms: waiting room, doctor office, exam room
    • Cooking for elderly like Meals-on-Wheels
    • Healthcare
    • Healthcare, bi-weekly community gatherings

 

  1. In the past the NH has been used for both private and public functions. In 2013, we would like to see the NH better equipped to host more community functions year round.
    • Community suppers
    • Community use vs. private use
    • Keep local history alive
    • Suppers, card games, board games, ping pong, floor hockey
    • Belongs to the people who want to use it
    • Potluck suppers
    • More community meals and outreach (for house-bound elders with children as the visitors)
    • More year rounders using building daily
    • Harvest supper for all

 

  1. Because of the many opportunities the NH already provides, it is possible that in 2013 there may be a position for a year round care taker of the facility, providing yet another job for a member of our small community.
    • Year round paid staff member dedicated to NH maintenance and scheduling
    • Manager
    • How many times I've swept the floor
    • Because the NH functions so well, more people want to live year round on Islesford
    • It is available for private receptions, showers, parties on a limited basis, particularly in the summer, so that it remains open to all
    • Major accomplishment - Involved all ages in events
    • Have a more real "caretaker" position, paid if must be - to oversee use and make sure it's taken care of properly.
    • House manager/management (esp. summer) to coordinate usage of space, equipment, etc.
    • Respect neighborhood setting (noise)
    • Personal responsibility
    • In 2013, there will be sustainable ways of funding the NH
    • Funding - tapped out
    • Encourage more donations for usage
    • More aggressive fundraising among summer families for financial support
    • Will ME Community Foundation fund a community center?
    • Expenses down with volunteers
    • Volunteer maintenance on building
    • Economically realistic
    • Pinball and Ms Pac Man to fund the building

 

  1. Nice things said about the NH...
    • Happiness
    • People are happy to volunteer
    • Nice expansion of library hours has happened over the last few years, great to have wireless internet
    • Easily accessible
    • A place I care for and look after in turn for open use
    • Overall things have worked pretty well - people are generous with time and money to help out with events

 

  1. Things to ask an architect before 2013 (Design Ideas):
    • Living room
    • Re-visioned Ladies Parlor
    • It should definitely continue to operate as the "living room" of the community
    • Need to know how limited land availability impacts use
    • Great Hall has a second floor
    • Is it possible to enlarge it? By 2013, we may need more space for big summer events
    • Wrap-around porch
    • Screened-in porch someplace
    • Sun room with plants for wintertime
    • Expanded over the years - library, historical society, garden
    • Generator for heating for emergency shelter
    • Organize basement
    • Provide space
    • Safer stairwells upstairs and to basement
    • Prop / costume / other storage space
    • Expose the half moon windows upstairs, improve that space
    • Better entryway, more spacious
    • More efficient use of space

 

  1. The NH will coordinate with the school to meet community needs.
    • School projects (more learning space)
    • Make better use of school building as a community meeting place, especially in winter
    • Keep some traditions, use of NH in conjunction with school - physical education, plays
    • Coordinate NH space with school
    • Extra-curricular activities

 

  1. The NH will be a fully functioning building, used year round because the building is heated and winterized.
    • The NH is used 12 months of the year
    • Winterize
    • Fireplace
    • Insulated; year round
    • Winter use for all ages, especially elderly to exercise and walk
    • Insulated
    • Winterized!
    • Fully winterized
    • Same activities as have been going on for decades, but with more year round use
    • Available and open
    • Insulate inside walls / floor if necessary of big room
    • Winterized
    • Heat the Ladies Parlor year round by gas fireplace insert (help winterize)
    • Insulate, but keep knotty pine walls or something to keep the look similar
    • Heat for gym class! (Even though running around warms you up...)

 

  1. The NH is a fully functioning cultural center.
    • Exhibitions
    • The NH sponsors live music in the Town Field
    • Karaoke
    • Visiting musicians' concert series
    • Weekly dancing (Partnered of course!) (Promotes Trust (?))
    • Bi-weekly (summer), monthly (winter), cultural / music programs
    • Knitters or craft group weekly
    • Pottery studio and digital photography lab
    • Sound and projection booth upstairs - makes sound, lights and movies easy to manipulate
    • Art studio space - darkroom, pottery studio, etc.
    • Surround sound speaker system
    • More great theater!
    • NH is a fully functioning venue for all manner of live performance
    • Tiered seating for plays and music shows
    • Gallery space
    • The NH hosts an international film festival
    • Movie theater
    • Theater project
    • Movie Night chair cushions and pillows
    • Neon lights flashing "Show Tonight"
    • Open music jam sessions with dancing
    • Open mike
    • Arts center - classes, exhibitions, work space
    • Shoulder season programs - play workshops, music concerts, etc.
    • More music and dance (contra, square, 60s dance party) as community events

 

 
  Also mentioned:  
 
  • Insulate the grand hall so it can be used in the winter
  • Be as green as possible
  • Paid manager
  • Expanded programs as Arts Center (classes, lectures, guest artist residencies, year-round movies and performing arts events)
  • Expanded usage as community center (cafe, meeting rooms, etc)
  • Expanded facilities for island resident economic development (professional kitchen, computer/work room, etc)
  • Year-round
  • Green/energy efficient
  • Kitchen upgrade
  • Winterization
  • Better bathroom(s)
  • Multi purpose functions: game room, gym, exercise, etc.
  • More activities
  
 

 

back to INH website