BIDDEFORD — Williams Court, which encompasses a small cluster of homes and apartment buildings in downtown Biddeford, has a sad history, but its citizens are hoping for a brighter future.
Over the years, the area has seen the gradual degradation of its buildings, three of which were demolished earlier this year, and a tragedy in 2009 when two of its sons, Gage and Derek Greene, lost their lives in a violent incident that galvanized the community into action. Citizens banded together in an effort to turn tragedy into triumph, both as a living memorial to the Greenes and as a way of asserting that the time for change was now.
On Saturday, community members, including several from Williams Court, gathered at the Christ Episcopal Church on Crescent Avenue to take part in a project they hope will forever stand as a monument of strength.
The three demolished properties will be replaced by a park, approved by the City Council in September, and the focal point will be a lantern sculpture that is being built by Green Foundry of Eliot. At the church, Green Foundry developers Josh Dow and Loren Holmgren sat with residents to cast their hands in a special mold. The three-dimensional hands will be the focal point of the lantern sculpture, holding aloft a globe at its center and cementing, in a manner of speaking, their contributions to the project.
“The neighborhood has worked hard to revitalize and move forward against the backdrop of some very dark times,” said Linda Hardacker, community development coordinator for the City of Biddeford, who sat in for the hand-casting session. “This sculpture belongs to the neighborhood and will shine as a light of recovery and hope for a future as a beautiful entrance to the downtown. Josh and Loren of Green Foundry have been very kind and considerate in working with residents and contractors, and very generous with their time and talents.”
Eleven community members will have their hand molds included as part of the sculpture. Some volunteered, others were chosen; Hardacker describes the process as happening very organically.
Devin and Chandler Greene, brothers of the late Derek and Gage, were among the participants on Saturday.
“They were our brothers, so I guess we were a natural choice,” said Chandler Greene. “I can’t wait to see (the finished product).”
His hand coated in a viscous purple goo reminiscent of the ectoplasmic substance in the movie Ghostbusters, Chandler Greene said that this was the first time he had participated in a community project as unique as this one.
“I helped out with the Westbrook Skating Rink for a while,” he said, “but with this you’ve just got to sit here and let it finish. Out there (at the rink), you’ve got to work all day.”
Green Foundry’s Dow describes the purple substance as a silicone rubber, which he says is “formulated specifically for body casting and life casting.” When the silicone solidifies, the casts are wrapped up and placed in a kiln to harden.
Devin Green, weighing the silicone on his dripping hand, marveled at the density of the substance.
“It’s kind of heavy,” he said. “One hand is like 10 pounds heavier than the other.”
Holmgren, who joined Dow in coating participants’ hands with the silicone mold, said this project was different than ones in which she’s participated in the past.
“This is a unique project,” said Holmgren. “We’ve done life casts for people before, but we’ve never done a public thing like this.”
Another hand immortalized in the lantern sculpture will be that of Biddeford City Councilor Bob Mills, who said he was asked to participate and just couldn’t say no.
“I think it’s phenomenal,” said Mills. “The community has been involved in this from the start. This is really going to help people recover and see that we’re concerned about this area. It’s been a rough area for a long time.”
Hardacker said that if all goes well, the project should be completed sometime in mid-November. Hopefully, she said, it will stand as a testament to the resilience of the people of Williams Court and downtown Biddeford; a new park and a new sculpture for a new chapter in their lives.
“It’s a symbol for them,” said Hardacker. “It’s a healing for the neighborhood.”
— Staff Writer Jeff Lagasse can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 319, or at jlagasse@journaltribune.com.
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