Past and future collide at urban renewal, business Showcase

Wareham-born singer-songwriter Grace Morrison’s song “Broken Things” is about her great-grandparents’ home on Main Street. The small one-story dwelling still stands, but is abandoned, a relic of the town’s historic past. 

Now, the stage is being set for a much different-looking Main Street — and Morrison is a part of it. 

Morrison sang a medley of her songs, many of them with local flavor, at Showcase Wareham, a special event held at Town Hall on Thursday, March 30.

The Showcase wasn’t just a fair for local businesses and organizations to show off what they have to offer. It was also a way for the Redevelopment Authority to promote its urban renewal plan, which would change zoning laws to allow 65-foot-high mixed-used buildings on Main Street. 

“It’s great having an up-and-coming performer like Grace,” said Redvelopment Authority Chair Dan Butler. “She really helped us promote this event.” 

Butler said that the inclusion of music acts was a huge help in boosting turnout. The turnout was better than he was expecting, since town officials had only four weeks to prepare. 

“A lot of very enthusiastic supporters came together to make it happen,” he said. “I was frankly surprised at how much enthusiasm there was for promoting and showcasing Wareham businesses.” 

Showcase attendees could take a survey about the urban renewal plan, and what amenities they would like to see in a revitalized Wareham Village. Options included a riverfront boardwalk along Merchants Way and a “sponge park,” a green space with plants that would absorb floodwaters.

“I think they need to listen to the people, and what the people are looking for,” said former Town Moderator Claire Smith, dressed in colonial garb as part of the Wareham Minutemen and Militia Companies, Inc. “They need to reach out to the community and businesses for some input.”

Attendees could also check out booths staffed by the Council on Aging, the Wareham Free Library, the Gleason Family YMCA, the Wareham Historical Society and other local institutions.

Historical Society President Angela Dunham said that she supports urban renewal, as long as downtown Wareham retains its “old Cape Cod” look.

“Downtown needs a boost,” she said, “and I know that it needs mixed-use [zoning], but I would also like the buildings to look like a Cape Cod village.” 

Onset resident Sharon Boyer did not know much about the urban renewal plan at first, but learned all about it at the Showcase. 

“I’m actually very pleased,” she said. 

She thinks that a revitalized downtown should put more emphasis on festivals, such as the Swan Festival. 

“It’s bringing everybody together, we need that again,” she said. “We need to be a neighborhood again.” 

The Redevelopment Authority created a “wish board” where Showcase attendees could vote on what events they would like to see downtown. Music festivals and a farmers market were the most popular choices. One of the events on the list, a hip-hop festival, only received one vote.

“I think every event on that board should occur,” Morrison said between songs. 

The town plans to make the Showcase an annual event.

“I think it was better than I expected it to be,” Select Board member Ron Besse said, “given the timeline. I look forward to working on the idea [in the future].”

He said that the plans to “go back to the drawing board” to increase turnout for next year’s Showcase. 

Local businessman Danny Warren, who used the Showcase to advertise his under-construction restaurant, events venue, ice cream stand and marina on Main Street, said that he plans to host the event next year. 

“I plan to get much more involved with the town,” he said.