Strategic Plan Dashboard

Vision Statement

Recreation

The City has a wide array of recreational opportunities available to its residents. Some programs are operated by the City while others are provided by not-for-profit entities and for-profit entities. A robust range of recreational opportunities has a positive impact on the physical and emotional health of our residents. The City's vision for Recreation is further outlined in Chapter 10: Recreation of the Master Plan.

Arts, Culture, and the Humanities

The City celebrates the arts, culture and the humanities in its various modalities. The City’s Arts and Culture Commission is the primary City body to advocate and advance the arts in the community. The City supports a vibrant partnership with a growing arts community to enhance opportunities for equitable participation and inclusion. The City continues to enhance opportunities for displays of art in public places to create a livelier living environment. The City's vision is further outlined in Chapter 12: Community Design and Civic Art of the Master Plan.

Parks

The City maintains parks and play spaces in various parts of the City to enhance neighborhood environments and provide outdoor spaces for its residents to enjoy the outdoor world. Everything from athletic fields, the Storrs Hill Ski Area, the Mascoma River Greenway, the Northern Rail Trail and various nature trails and conservation areas provide a variety of opportunities to exercise and enjoy nature.

Libraries

Our vision is to be the hub of the community, a place where individuals of all ages and backgrounds can find the resources, technology, and support they need to achieve their goals and realize their full potential. We strive to create a dynamic and innovative library system that reflects the diverse needs and interests of our community and empowers everyone to lead fulfilling and meaningful lives.

Responsible Groups

City Departments

City Manager Cyber Services Fire Library Planning and Development Police Public Works Recreation, Arts, and Parks

Boards and Committees

Arts and Culture Commission Board of Cemetery Trustees Conservation Commission Economic Development Commission Heritage Commission Lebanon Energy Advisory Committee Pedestrian and Bicyclist Advisory Committee Planning Board Tree Advisory Board West Lebanon Revitalization Committee

Community Partners

CCBA Dartmouth College Friends of Leb Rec Lebanon Historical Society Lebanon Outing Club Lebanon Youth Baseball SAU88 UV Hockey Association Upper Valley Music Center Upper Valley Running Club

Strategic Objectives

Primary objectives under this strategic theme

4.1 Provide a wide array of cultural and recreational opportunities for residents across age and demographics groups in the City and in partnership with other entities in the Upper Valley.

4.1.1 Maintain and adapt programming, outdoor adventures, and sports that keep citizens active, connected, and engaged.

Allow for food trucks at the City's swimming pool and other public recreational spaces

Attract eight food truck vendors to a special event by removing barriers to vendor participation. 2024

Create one new event each in the tunnel, Colburn Park, and West Lebanon by 2025.

Multiple sports options are available for K-8th graders, boys and girls, in each season.

4.1.2 Partner with citizen action groups and partners to enhance programming.

Add partnering organization's information in marketing materials, program guides, and web tools, in 2024.

Create one education program with Tree Advisory Board around Arbor Day 2024.

4.1.3 Incorporate diversity and accessibility into programming and communications.

Evaluate programs and events to ensure they are accessible to all populations.

Thoughtful marketing strategies include implementing images of participants that are representative of our entire community

Continue to include input from members of the community to offer new and diverse programs.

Create one video per season highlighting programming including images of participants that represent the diversity of our community.

Create one community survey annually to garner input from the community to offer new and diverse programs, starting in 2025.

4.1.4 Establish partnerships with businesses to sponsor and/or offer recreational programming.

Develop sponsorship registry to track sponsorships over time.

Distribute the Sponsorship Opportunities brochure to 50 businesses.

4.1.5 Provide and maintain, safe aquatic programming (Lebanon Veterans Memorial Pool) with low-cost opportunities.

4.1.6 Attract and retain qualified mission-oriented volunteers and staff.

4.1.7 Remove barriers to participation to attract a wider demographic and at-risk youth.

4.1.8 Continue to offer an affordable, safe, and fun summer day camp experience in partnership with SAU88 facilities.

90% of youth who wish to attend camp k are enrolled, assuming current demand stays level.

4.1.9 Establish processes, policies, and fees to allow for functions, recreation events, and/or food trucks in the City's pool parking lot area.

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4.2 Maintain and expand recreation infrastructure in the City including parks, athletic facilities, trails, and greenways.

4.2.1 Enhance existing facilities and build additional athletic fields (indoor and outdoor) and playgrounds.

Develop a long range facilities improvement plan for Storrs Hill Ski Area for the Lebanon Outing Club.

Remove invasive knotweed and consolidate storage and location of sheds to Pat Walsh Park.

Increase shade footprint by at least 200% at the Lebanon Veterans Memorial Pool by 2026.

Replace one pump per year over three years at the Lebanon Veterans Memorial Pool to increase energy efficiency from 2024-2026.

Expand Rec Dept equipment fleet to accommodate present and future needs

Replace problem fencing at Riverside, Civic, Basin, Eldridge and Colburn.

Create playground replacement plan and remove dangerous elements by end of 2024.

Create Civic Park Master Plan with athletic field, playground, parking, perimeter trail by end of 2024.

Evaluate potential future location of a Lebanon Community Center.

4.2.2 Partner with citizen action groups thru Friends of Leb Rec to enhance parks.

Increase skate surface at Rusty Berrings Skate Park in 2025.

Establish Civic Playground group, final design, and complete the capital fundraising campaign in 2024.

4.2.3 Address and achieve ADA compliance throughout Recreation and Parks and Library facilities.

Continue to invest in accessible picnic tables, playground infrastructure, and improve areas needing attention

All parks with picnic tables have at least 1 ADA table.

4.2.4 Increase access to trails and parks, promoting exercise and healthy lifestyle.

Complete one new park access improvement from the Safe Routes to Play report in 2024.

Complete interpretive and wayfinding signage plan and implement plan in 2 locations during Westboro and Bridge St Park development.

Pave Mascome River Greenway Slayton Hill parking lot in 2025.

4.2.5 Explore potential opportunities for Westboro Property and Trail.

Acquire land ownership and develop construction plans in 2024.

Generate proposals and recommendation for property that does not accept the environmental liability of the site per the Council’s April 16, 2025 decision, for presentation to City Council no later than Q3 2026.

Should the State commit to retaining the environmental liability, the City Council shall re-evaluate within 90 days such acquisition.

4.2.6 Collaborate with Dartmouth College and DHMC to build a new park in North Lebanon.

Identify land and establish official partnership with DHMC or Dartmouth College by 2025.

4.2.7 Enhance and extend Mascoma River Greenway

Continue to control invasive species along the Mascoma River Greenway/Northern Rail Trail.

Extend Mascoma River Greenway through Riverside Park to 12A.

Establish Mascoma River Greenway connections at Lebanon Ford in 2025.

Pave Mascoma River Greenway parking lot

Implement master plan for maintenance on the Northern Rail Trail, starting in 2024.

4.2.8 Increase responsiveness to vandalism

Install surveillance cameras at problem locations in 2024.

Respond to and clean offensive graffiti within 24-48 hours, and other graffiti within 1 week.

4.2.9 Review and Update the Community Facilities and Services Chapter of the Master Plan

Develop a Chapter update process with a citywide working group with support from Planning and DPW staff.

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4.3 Enhance the vitality of Arts and Culture in the City in cooperation with the arts community in the Upper Valley. This includes energizing the arts economy as well as opportunities for public art.

4.3.1 Increase volume of public art.

Win funding for and install 1 new arts display through an arts-oriented grant in 2024.

Create an inventory of projects that Arts and Culture would like to see completed from 2024–2029

Increase the opportunity for visibility for writers, musicians and performing artists

Increase the number of exhibits in the Kilton gallery

EDC representative to propose that developers add public art in any new development involving publicly/city owned land. Reminder of ADM-136 Public Art Policy.

Install pedestrian level 'Welcome to Lebanon/West Lebanon' banners of photos from LebNH Photo Gallery.

Connect with businesses to determine if they have space for public art to be displayed. Can mini-galleries be established? Connect with local partners to develop this idea of generating foot traffic, and exposure for artists into 2029.

Design and fund public and private/public art at new public infrastructure projects (Roundabouts, W. Leb Main St, Hanover St Bridge, Kilton Plaza). Develop and install a 'Welcome to West Lebanon' Sign by 2026.

4.3.2 Engage with private arts organizations to work in collaboration where possible.

Each ACC Commissioner mentors or engages with 2+ new arts organizations to facilitate cross-sector experiences and connection.

4.3.3 Recognize and celebrate artists and art organizations led by the communities who built the Arts & Culture identities of the Upper Valley.

Create a visual presence of support via the Lebanon ArtWays marketing materials: adapt to banners, flags, tent, and provide the logo to other groups for marketing use. Marketing plan established by 2027.

Attract artist's interest in contributing their art to public spaces by promoting the Lebanon Art Policy in promotional materials in 2024.

Compile and post a monthly summary of art displays and performances using the website, social media, listservs and digital newsletters starting in 2024.

4.3.4 Consider arts and culture when planning any event or program.

Add an art display or activity to at least 5 events that don’t currently have an arts-oriented component.

4.3.5 Continue City sponsored annual signature events that highlight arts and culture.

Highlight Lebanon's live music, Farmers' Market, festivals, and public art display grand openings.

We are in the process of developing a ComicCon

4.3.6 Rotating gallery at the Lebanon Library featuring local artists

Number of exhibits

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4.4 Celebrate the City's rich history and enhance the public's awareness of its history through multiple modalities.

4.4.1 Maintain the City’s traditions with annual programs and signature events.

Develop one new program with the New England School of Arts by 2025.

Incorporate and be inspired by the history of Lebanon to create and install new public art.

Expand annual celebrations of the 4th of July, Halloween, holiday seasons, and Juneteenth to be more inclusive.

4.4.2 Maintain and enhance historical aspects of facilities.

Seek a partner to rehabilitate the Dana House.

Install historical markers/interpretive signs along the Mascoma River Greenway and Northern Rail Trail, beginning in 2025.

Restore Colburn Park fence by end of 2025.

4.4.3 Preserve, organize, and disseminate information pertaining to the history of Lebanon.

Work with an intern to better organize and describe the library’s historical collection, making the information more easily accessible.

Assemble a committee to assess our historical collection and its place in a broader context.

Gather oral histories of Lebanon residents, and preserve them online.

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4.5 Celebrate the City's diverse cultural makeup by providing opportunities that allow the public to experience the diverse cultures in the Upper Valley.

4.5.1 Seek cultural diversity at Farmers' Market and Special Events in close proportions to Lebanon's census demographics.

At least 25% of vendors and performers represent a diversified ethnic population.

4.5.2 Redevelop the Talking Bridge English as a Second Language (ESL) program.

Increase participation by 50%.

4.5.3 Create an Abenaki heritage garden at Kilton.

Grow at least one crop.

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4.6 Cemeteries - Operate and maintain cemeteries to meet the needs of the City.

4.6.1 Headstone maintenance program

Maintain stones with the funds provided at $25,000 per year.

4.6.2 Develop a cemetery master plan.

Develop a cemetery master plan no later than the end of 2025.

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