We want active, walkable villages in the Katahdin region with a small town, main street charm. Villages to serve the needs of visitors and locals alike with locally owned businesses that bolster pride in the region and help attract new locals and industry.

• Prioritize development in the region’s downtowns.
• Preserve and advocate for a sustainable, new use of local assets.
• Spiff up the downtowns with local materials and pride.
• Expand in-town trails and seating.
• Make streets that are great for people and retail by slowing traffic.

The Katahdin region has several quaint villages – Island Falls, Patten, East Millinocket, and Millinocket – that harken back to the past, service the present, and have promise for the future. The region’s villages are a critical piece of the economic prosperity of the region as well as opportunities for pride and joy.

Locals and visitors alike, all express a desire to have attractive, walkable, and safe downtown experiences where there are local businesses – retail and restaurants, outfitters, breweries, and more – where they can meet their everyday needs, have a special night out, and just sit in public spaces to people watch. Today’s travelers – both extreme and soft adventurers – are looking for good food, and are interested in local people, culture, and history, especially on down days.

There is an opportunity for the Katahdin region to better utilize the existing downtowns to earn more tax revenue per acre and tourist dollars, reduce infrastructure maintenance costs, attract investment, and create places that people love to visit just as much as the region’s trails and waterways.

Check out the Foster Vibrant Villages Team page!