The Camden Area Futures Group, a non-profit organization, works to foster action on issues affecting the Camden area's economy & quality of life by striving to achieve a diverse, sustainable, year-round economy.

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Helping to Plan Camden's Future

Press Release ~ Camden Area Futures Group Disbands

CAMDEN – November 8, 2010 – Directors of the Camden Area Futures Group (CAFG) recently agreed to dissolve the organization in light of the economic and community development leadership now provided by the Town of Camden.

“We feel that the Town’s Community Economic Development Advisory Committee (CEDAC) and appointment of an economic development officer represent tremendous progress toward many of CAFG’s goals,” explained CAFG President Roger Moody. “We had the sense that the town has rightly taken on the work that CAFG set out to do.”

CAFG was formed in 2006 by a group of volunteers aimed at promoting a vibrant and viable year round community. In 2005, Camden’s Blue Ribbon Economic Development Task Force had identified the need for an independent, non-profit Camden Futures organization. The group set itself the mission of working to foster action on issues affecting the Camden area's economy and quality of life to achieve a diverse, sustainable, year-round economy

Responding to the priority the Blue Ribbon Task Force placed on protecting and enhancing Camden's harbor as a thriving working waterfront, CAFG conducted an extensive Working Waterfront Futures Project that included interviews with a large number of waterfront stakeholders. CAFG also held a series of seven public forums attended by more than 300 individuals. CAFG’s report, “The Future of Camden’s Working Waterfront,” presented the history of the waterfront, analyzed current marine-related activities and presented recommendations for its future.

Other CAFG projects included efforts to bring a year-round downtown cinema back to Camden. The Camden Cinema Restoration Project, begun 2007 by a CAFG committee, is continuing with its work. Information about this project is available at www.camdencinema.com .

“We are pleased to have been part of an important conversation about Camden’s quality of life, its beauty, its connection to the sea, its recreational and its vibrant community life,” added Moody. “We sought ways to retain these exceptional qualities while at the same time promoting solid economic development. It is wonderful to see the community moving forward constructively with these ideas.”

Mission Statement

Working to foster action on issues affecting the Camden area's economy and quality of life to achieve a diverse, sustainable, year-round economy

We believe the Town of Camden should be known for its quality of life, its lack of suburban and urban woes, its incredible beauty and natural features, its connection to the sea, its rich tapestry of community and cultural activities and institutions, its recreational components, and, most of all, its connected community. Such features cannot be compromised for development; rather, efforts to stimulate and promote development should seek to preserve and enhance the area and its special attributes.