Dozens of Wareham residents gathered in town hall to discuss the Wareham Village Redevelopment Plan on Thursday, April 14.

Emily Innes of the consulting firm Innes Associates Ltd. led the discussion. Innes took attendees through the town’s history of planning for Wareham Village, with studies dating back to 2007.

“I’m working my way through reports, talking to you, talking to stakeholders, and meeting with a citizens advisory group,” she said, explaining the current stage in the planning process.

She said she plans to have another public meeting like this over the summer and a draft plan done in September. The plan will need both state and municipal approval.

Innes encouraged residents to get into break-out groups and write a mock headline for the Wareham Week in 2032 about what would be accomplished.

“This is just to get you talking about what you’d like to see in the area,” Innes said.

Animated discussion quickly began between the residents.

“We need to make it so people want to live here, not just visit,” said Kim Scheub, who has been a Wareham resident for the past 30 years. “If we don’t invest in that, it will fail.”

“I never see people walking around,” said Nadia Melim, a local architect. “There’s not enough restaurants.”

Many mock headlines reflected similar sentiments. One was “A taste of Wareham” which described seven new restaurants. Another was “Wareham Village named Top 5 in waterfront dining experience.”

One group was more concerned with how rising sea levels will affect the project’s viability. Their headline read, “Main Street is on High Street.”

“We were primarily focused on the sea levels rising and flooding Main Street,” their spokesperson said. “I personally think we need a levee.”

Innes soon addressed concerns with rising water levels in her presentation. “This doesn’t mean disaster,” she said, “But we need to be strategic in thinking about what the recommendations would be.”

The presentation ended with the opportunity for residents to form groups and share their thoughts with Innes. Among the ideas discussed were bike paths, more tree planting and greenery, a gazebo and a pier leading off into the water.

“When you come off the train, it’s like you step into a parking lot,” said Julie Moran, who recently moved to Wareham from Gloucester. She said she hopes to see the Wareham Village area appear more welcoming.

Innes said the next steps include stakeholder interviews and similar meetings in the summer.