The county’s chamber of commerce organizations have recently merged into Greater Franklin Alliance in a collaborative effort to work together, including the production of a detailed trail map booklet.
Seeing the need for building regional partnerships and working relationships in the greater Franklin County area, Lorna Nichols, executive director of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce invited representatives from the Flagstaff Area Business Association, Rangeley Lakes Chamber of Commerce and Jay – Livermore – Livermore Falls Chamber of Commerce to meet to discuss working more closely together. The group never thought the success of these relationships would evolve into what is now known as the Greater Franklin Alliance and an opportunity to work on such a beneficial project as the detailed trail map booklet.
The Alliance is a result of the group’s desire to create a non-profit organization that is not member-based and has a broad reach to all towns and unorganized territories in the greater Franklin County area. As part of the new corporation’s by-laws, its mission statement reads … “the corporation is an alliance of organizations and individuals committed to preserving the past, promoting the present and building the future of Maine’s Western Mountains through education and awareness of the cultural, historic, natural and recreational attractions of greater Franklin County.”
The group has actually been together for nearly two years and was originally known as the Greater Franklin Chamber Partnership. As the group continued to meet and share ideas – they drew upon their front-line experiences with residents and visitors to determine areas needing immediate attention. The first (and continuing) project has been a weekly e-bulletin out to nearly 800 businesses and organizations in the greater Franklin County region. The listings include weekly events, dining, lodging and retail opportunities and is printed by some businesses and organizations to share with residents and visitors alike.
The Greater Franklin Alliance is pleased to announce its new name and exciting work on a detailed regional trail map booklet for the greater Franklin County area. The project will be similar to a successful project designed and produced by the Quoddy Regional Land Trust now in its third edition (printed in 2007). This is a huge undertaking, and as work continues on the detailed map booklet, the alliance has put together a comprehensive trail list and will begin to seek any missing information and photos of trails in the region to be included, as well as any other important information that should be featured, and last but not least, funding for the project itself.
Once complete, the maps will be sold in order to fund additional printings and to also allow for revisions and updates so it is always current. Maps will be available at various locations throughout the region in order to reach as many people as possible. If you would like to provide information for the project, help with the project or have other project ideas for the Alliance, please email: greaterfrankinalliance@gmail.com.
