LEBANON — Most of those who spoke at a packed public hearing Wednesday sent the Lebanon Planning Commission a clear message: Abandon the idea of putting new development in Bicentennial Park.

        “People come to this town to see the old things,” said Marilyn Haley, a leader of the nonprofit Lebanon Conservancy Foundation.

        The commission is considering recommending changes to a park plan passed by City Council last year for the downtown block bounded by Main, Mechanic, Mulberry and Cherry streets.

        That plan called for the house at 5-7 Cherry St. to be restored, the Goodwill building to be adapted for the Lebanon Theatre Company, and the rest of the block to be used for a gazebo, park land and parking.

        But the $200,000 estimated cost of renovating the Cherry Street house prompted the new planning commission, seated in January, to rethink the plan, said Doug Johnson, the city's deputy planning director.

        The planning commission was looking at razing 5-7 Cherry and the Goodwill building and carving out eight lots for private retail and housing development.

        “One of the big things we were focusing on was the expense,” said Deane Wiethe, chairman of the planning commission. “... We will look at the comments and include those in our final discussion.”

        The commission will next broach the subject at its May 21 meeting. It will eventually make a recommendation to City Council, which will have the final decision on Bicentennial Park.

        About 60 people attended Wednesday's hearing, with about a half-dozen speaking against the direction the planning commission is considering. Lebanon Conservancy members don't want the Queen Anne-style house on Cherry torn down, even though they admit it's not historically significant.

        Others don't feel the commission's overall concept — particularly putting new development in the block — would be an appropriate commemoration of the city's bicentennial, which is being celebrated this year.

        “To me, it's demeaning to have this thing as a memorial to our city,” Gene Chute said.

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