Splaine: Help shape the future of Market Square
In many ways, Market Square defines not only our downtown, but Portsmouth itself. It's been the center of commerce and public assembly for centuries, and a special gathering place to celebrate everything from our holidays to our Halloweens − and more recently, marriage equality and an expression of remembrance for George Floyd.
Portsmouth residents have come together to see visiting Presidents from George Washington, who spoke from the balcony at the old State House that stood in Market Square, to more recent ones, including many candidates looking for votes in a historic spot of America.
During my Pup days when I lived just four blocks away in the North End for my first 21 years, it was my kind of place. I would go there to stores with my mom as she shopped. My dad would join us at Christmas time to see the lights displaying an abundance of color stretching overhead between buildings along Congress Street.
When I shined shoes, Market Square was a spot where I would make more money in three hours than my friends would make all week delivering newspapers. When I went to high school, Market Square was where I waited, sometimes in a store's alcove during rainy or cold days, for the bus that first had picked up Atlantic Heights students.
Market Square has evolved through the years, changing with the times. We can only imagine the darkness of the nights in the 1700s when perhaps very few candles would provide lighting, to more "modern" lamps in the 1800s. Then came the electric lights early in the next century, amazing in their day.
The 1970s rebuild: The Market Square we have today was the work of Portsmouth visionaries in the mid to late 1970s. Portsmouth Planning Director Bob Thoresen, City Manager Calvin Canney, City Attorney Peter Loughlin − along with an army of others − brought innovation to their work, putting in new lighting, greenery, sidewalks, bricks, and seating along with improved traffic flow. I was Assistant Mayor at the time and was impressed by their teamwork.
What's next? This is the fun part − visioning. Thinking ahead, not just to next year, not even just ten years, but even more. With that in mind, now underway is the search for a more meaningful, useful, enjoyable Market Square. That adventure started with a well-attended citizen collaborative session last month to consider ideas. Improvements we make now may be much of what Portsmouth residents will experience when they celebrate their 500th Anniversary in 2123.
Included in the planning is the area around the square − Pleasant, Daniel, High, Church, Congress, and Market Streets. That involves a lot of store fronts, restaurants, offices, and most important − residents who live there − so a lot has to go into planning for diverse needs.
My thoughts:
1. With wider sidewalks, we can make permanent year-round outdoor dining and retail realistic. Communities in a much more diverse climate than ours make it work.
2. Make Market Square and environs more pedestrian and bike friendly. And limit cars, at least somewhat. We're smart enough to make it happen.
3. Improve lighting throughout the area by using, or inventing if necessary, energy-efficient technology that in itself will draw people downtown in all seasons. Make it bright and colorful. Let's challenge the scientists or would-be inventors who live among us.
4. Create ways to have exciting and inclusive outdoor events 52 weeks a year in our downtown. This might take a person like Monika Aring, who proposed and created the first Market Square Day almost 50 years ago. It just takes imagination. She or he is out there, ready to step forward.
In the search for our future, we should always want to explore the new, the different, the exciting, the imaginative. And whatever we end up doing will be worth it − because the "collective we" did it.
More: Does Portsmouth's Market Square need a makeover? Residents share conflicting views
Today's quote: "Anything that we can do to make Market Square a little more human-friendly, a little more quiet, kinder. And wouldn't it be great if we had a post office again?" - Cathy DiPentima, offering her goal at the Market Square workshop last month.
Join the adventure: Visit the Portsmouth website to get involved with the planning process.
Next time: Housing at Lister Academy Makes Sense.
Variously since 1969, Jim Splaine has been New Hampshire state senator for six years, representative for 24 years, Police Commission and School Board member, Portsmouth assistant mayor for 12 years and city councilor for 18 years.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Splaine: Help shape the future of Market Square
