Making Downtown Mansfield Great Again

by Matt Donnelly
Candidate, Board of Selectmen

Downtown Mansfield is full of social, cultural and economic possibilities. That’s one of the reasons my family chose to call Mansfield home back in 2013.

In only the few short years my family has lived in downtown, we’ve seen the launch of several successful businesses, including Flynn’s Irish Pub and Juice on Main. There’s also been initial work in and around Fales Park. And that’s just the beginning.

We can and should build on the progress we’ve been making in revitalizing the downtown. But to get to that next level, we need some new thinking and the willingness to try new things. The economy is changing, and Mansfield needs to change along with it or be left behind.

Those of you who’ve lived in Mansfield long enough remember when downtown Mansfield wasn’t an afterthought. Working together with our representatives at the State House, various town committees, and the local business community, we can make downtown Mansfield come alive once again.

Talk is cheap, though. Action is what we need. Here are a few specific steps we can take, working with the business community, to revitalize the downtown that don’t require raising taxes or biting off more than we can chew:

• Create a small downtown economic development office staffed with an economic development officer tasked with bringing new business to the town, including the downtown. The Board of Selectmen can guide, but this leader should take the ball and run with it. Spending thousands in salary to attract millions in new business is a bargain.
• Don’t try to outdo Amazon or Mansfield Crossing with same-old-same-old retail stores. Focus on things that will attract visitors, like restaurants, art and music.
• Identify key focus areas and establish a pilot program for attracting the types of businesses that can breathe new life into the downtown. Address any issues preventing this from happening.
• Create and promote a monthly event calendar for downtown to give people a reason to come to the downtown on a regular basis.
• Work with local colleges to bring cultural events to downtown on a regular basis.
• Discuss creative ways to find occupants for open retail spaces, possibly including open studios and pop-up stores with short-term leases.
• Establish a permanent farmers market with a consistent location.
• Create a bike share program for Fales Park so residents can enjoy the bike path.
• Brainstorm and pilot ideas to create ‘after work’ destinations for commuters in the downtown.
• Continue to evaluate and evolve signage to make downtown easier for drivers, bikers and pedestrians to navigate.
• Continue to work on connecting our bike path to those in neighboring communities.
• Develop specific strategies for managing downtown parking. These strategies do exist. (That’s the topic of another article to come.)

These are just a few of the very practical things we can do to make positive change in the downtown area.

Of course we can’t do everything at once. And no one can be sure which ideas will work and which ones will fail. But that’s fine. We won’t know what works unless we have the courage to think new thoughts and try new ideas.

Looking at the list, there’s clearly some low-hanging fruit we can harvest in the short term that will make a big difference to the downtown. We can pilot several of these ideas at minimal cost, working with the local business community and seeking state funds whenever possible.

Regardless of which steps we prioritize, what is clear is that we need to act to create the kind of downtown we all want, one that will thrive and survive well into the future, bringing new jobs, more tax revenue, and new life to the area. It won’t happen by accident.

If elected, I’ll work hand-in-hand with the other members of the Board of Selectmen, other town officials, and the local business community to bring these ideas to life and start injecting some new vitality into downtown.

We’re all on Team Mansfield. Working together, we can bring positive change to the town we all love and call home.