Dover Download

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Lauren Petraitis, Director of Development at the Dover Children's Home, continuing a series spotlighting local nonprofits.

Petraitis explains that although the 133-year-old organization was founded in 1893 as an orphanage, it's now known as a residential treatment program for youth serving any young person in New Hampshire, not just Dover. The main house serves up to 12 youth ages 10–21, while a separate independent living program houses up to 4 residents ages 18–21 as they prepare to live on their own. A former high school teacher, Petraitis found her way to the nonprofit through volunteering and now leads fundraising, grant-writing, and community partnerships.
She describes a staff of about 25 working around the clock, guided by a "trust-based relational intervention" model that emphasizes relationship-building and personalized care—down to decorating a new resident's room with their favorite colors before they arrive. Stays vary widely, from six-month juvenile justice placements to five-year stays for youth working toward independence. Looking ahead, the organization is considering expanding services, potentially adding a higher level of care, housing for young adults aging out of the system, or vocational training.

State funding covers the bulk of the budget, supplemented by fundraising events (including an annual golf tournament each September), an Amazon wishlist, a meal-donor program, and a robust volunteer and mentorship network. More information is available at doverchildrenshome.org.

In This Week in Dover History, we hear the story of Plato Waldron, a formerly enslaved Dover resident who worked as a courthouse janitor and church sexton before his body was found in the Cochecho River in July 1835, his death still shrouded in mystery.

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Margaret Joyce and Jed Allen of the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce about the 40th annual Cochecho Arts Festival. The free, family-friendly summer concert series kicks off July 9 with a community band performance, followed by the Friday night headliner series beginning July 10 with Jon Nolan & Good Company, and the Tuesday children's series starting with the Seacoast Science Center's "Coastal Critters." Margaret and Jed describe this year's diverse lineup, the fundraising and logistics behind the festival, and several new additions, including a third tier of raffle buttons, the return of the popular "duck race," a yard games area, and a weekly "artist of the week" showcase. A highlight this year is the new Cowabunga Fest, a partnership with the Woodman Museum celebrating Dover as the birthplace of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, featuring a pizza crawl and an Aug. 23 skate jam. They also preview the Creative Arts Showcase on Aug. 1, spotlighting local artists, poets, and singer-songwriters. The pair thank the festival's many sponsors, including The Truette, Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, the Rotary Club of Dover, and La Festa Pizza, and note this year's festival is dedicated to the memory of longtime volunteer Cliff Blake. For more about the festival, visit dovernh.org/artsfest.

In This Week in Dover History, we learn about William Riley Clark, known simply as "Riley," a beloved gatekeeper at the Cocheco Manufacturing Company mills in the early 20th century. Riley began working at the mills at age 11, served with the Strafford Guards and later the Coast Artillery, and returned to Dover in 1870 to resume his career, becoming the mill's gatekeeper in 1883.

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Mike Gillis for an end-of-June recap of city government activity. June was an unusually quiet month, with the City Council holding only one regular meeting, plus a special meeting and workshop on June 3. The special meeting addressed a procedural housekeeping vote on the waterfront TIF, ensuring the $6 million in bonding was properly noticed. Parker explains how tax increment financing works, with growth above a baseline funneled into a dedicated bucket that pays debt service, and notes the city only issues debt when funds are actually needed. The accompanying workshop covered stormwater management and nutrient loading in Great Bay, plus an update on the Tolend Road landfill Superfund site, a long-term obligation that later prompted a roughly $530,000 appropriation from unassigned fund balance. The council also weighed in on state legislation, supporting HB 1491 (later vetoed) and opposing HB 1588 as an attack on local control.

The Planning Board met twice, granting conditional approval to convert below-grade canal-level space at the Cocheco Falls Mill into residential units, and experiencing a rare 4-4 tie vote on a conditional use permit for the historic Samuel Wyatt house at 7 Church Street. Parker announced a July 14 ribbon-cutting for Nebi Park, comparing its cost to the newly renovated outdoor pool. The School Board accepted 16 retirements totaling 369 years of service, and both Parker and Gillis praised Dover Adult Learning graduations and the Dover High commencement at the Whittemore Center.

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Deputy Community Services Director Ken Mavrogeorge and City Engineer Jillian Semprini about the construction projects underway across Dover. The conversation begins with how projects move from the Capital Improvements Program through design and engineering before any work begins, noting that a major reconstruction like Horne Street can require 10 to 12 months of design plus public input meetings, followed by 18 months to two years of construction.

A central focus is the Central Avenue water main project, replacing infrastructure roughly 150 years old, with future phases planned southward from Broadway to Washington Street to Silver Street. Mavrogeorge explains the city's shift toward keeping good roads good while improving the worst, expanding paving and reclamation work as reconstruction costs climb (Court Street alone nears $10 million). They discuss complete streets principles, bike lanes, sharrows, and how public meetings and polls shape decisions, citing the Fifth and Grove one-way conversion that added parking and improved safety. Other highlights include the Henry Law Avenue and Payne Street reconstruction, downtown bump-outs and lighting, roundabouts for safety and lower operating costs, and accessibility upgrades at parks and ballfields. They also note the Jenny Thompson pool, library renovation, and court resurfacing wrapping up this summer, plus project web pages available on the city site.

In This Week in Dover History, we begin a month-long look at Dover's role in the American Revolution and 1776, focusing on the Association Test, a loyalty oath that forced residents, including the area's pacifist Quakers, to declare themselves patriots or risk treason.

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with project manager Jamie Stevens about the long-awaited completion of Dover's waterfront development, including Nebi Park, the rebuilt River Street, Seaport Way, and Payne Street. Three years after the June 2023 groundbreaking, the three-acre park is nearing the finish line ahead of a ribbon cutting on July 14. Stevens walks through the final push of work: detailed concrete paver areas around the pavilion, the Makem Bridge approach, and the flagpole overlook; ornamental fencing; and installation of park benches, including three swing benches out on the point. He notes the restoration of the shoreline to its original point. Plantings are roughly 90 percent complete, with final street trees and paving near Building F at 40 River St. held back until the private developer finishes construction. Stevens explains the project's stormwater management systems, which filter sediment and pollution before water reaches the river, and describes street and park elements designed to blend with downtown and Silver Street while introducing newer features like modular platform benches. He and Parker emphasize how early decisions, especially pre-ordering benches, pavers, and trees in the project's infancy, helped avoid cost overruns and keep the project under budget. Public art includes the "River Roots" sculpture and three rotating display bases along the Riverwalk. The paddle sports dock and a kayak and canoe rental vendor will be ready shortly after the park opens following the July 4th holiday.

In This Week in Dover History, we look back at June 1855, when Dover took the pivotal step of transitioning from a town to a city. After town meetings grew unwieldy in the busy, industrial community, voters narrowly approved a city charter by just 44 votes.