By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — The final draft plan of the Vision 2030 project was presented to the Town Council at their meeting Monday night. Vision 2030 was described as “a high-level, aspirational community visioning-for-planning initiative.”
The Vision 2030 project’s report and “Vision Statement” imagines Wakefield as a town that:
- Protects and enhances its beautiful natural landscape, neighborhood character and signature open space assets including Lake Quannapowitt, Crystal Lake and Breakheart Reservation.
- Welcomes and supports residents in different life stages and is inviting to people of all backgrounds.
- Enhances its neighborhoods with housing options for all and safe walking and biking amenities.
- Improves its business districts with more services, leisure retail, job opportunities and pedestrian amenities.
- Expands its social, civic and cultural landscape with more creative placemaking amenities and more festive events.
- Invests in legacy civic projects for present-day residents and future generations that enhance our beautiful landscape and foster community gatherings.
- Reduces car dependency by leveraging its commuter rail access and other creative transportation innovations to support shops and residents.
Joining the Town Council meeting via Zoom, Carlos Montanez of the Metropolitan Planning Council noted that in late 2020 the town contracted with MAPC to lead the Vision 2030 process. The mission of Vision 2030, he said, was to pool together Wakefield’s best ideas and leverage its best community and civic assets for improving the town. The project also aimed to rally community members around common ground, shared values and high-consensus goals and to advance the most compelling ideas through future group decisions, actions and investments.
The Vision 2030 team included a 15-member advisory group led by Town Councilor Jonathan Chines, Economic Development Director Erin Kokinda, Communications Manager Jennifer McDonald and Town Administrator Stephen P. Maio. There were three public online workshops with 185 to 195 workshop participants. Three community surveys were conducted eliciting 922 survey responses.
The online workshops discussed 12 different “visioning topics,” divided into the three sessions. The first session considered shaping growth, housing, mobility and recreational options.
The second workshop topics focused on businesses, facilities, public infrastructure and the environment.
The third session looked at “quality of life & shared values.” Topics included diversity and inclusion; health, safety, resiliency and vulnerable communities, promoting lifelong learning and community development and fostering community spirit and volunteerism.
Montanez also outlined the ways in which the Vision 2030 group reached out to the community for input.
Town Councilor Jonathan Chines noted that the Vision 2030 project will feed into the upcoming Master plan process.
Councilor Anne Danehy said that the report highlights the need for a town planner.
The full Vision 2030 final draft plan can be found on the town’s web site at wakefield.ma.us/vision-2030. The public can submit written comments on the Vision 2030 report until Nov. 15.