Shaheen embarks on $111M investment tour

LITTLETON, N.H. (WCAX) - New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen is traveling across the state as part of her Invest in New Hampshire Tour to highlight $111 million in new projects coming to the Granite State.

Main Street in downtown Littleton is a mix of retail stores, restaurants, and other businesses. Just a short walk through a covered pedestrian bridge over the Ammonoosuc River, another development project is in the works, but this one is focused on green space. “The total project is $1.4 million,” said Littleton Town Manager Jim Gleason.

The plan is to move the parking lot adjacent to the river to create a park that connects existing walking trails to the downtown. Gleason says the project ties the entire town together. “The idea is to have some access to bench and park seating and what have you so folks who are enjoying the downtown and doing some shopping, they maybe can bring the family over here and let the kids play in the park,” he said.

Senator Shaheen helped secure $300,000 for the project. “These are dollars that people in New Hampshire have sent to Washington and we want them to come back to our communities to address needs that we have in our communities here,” Shaheen said.

The need in Littleton is more open space, said Adam Reczek, the community’s cultural arts coordinator. “Whether it’s in the form of live theatre or art or music, or just getting together to play catch,” he said. “Downtown Littleton has become a hub in the North Country and this green space behind me here really has the potential to be the natural component of that hub.”

Other investments will benefit the nursing program at Plymouth State University and water and sewer upgrades in the town of Whitefield. Different projects with the same goal -- investing in the community now to help keep it vibrant into the future.