With spring comes big changes
IN THE CITY
By Kevin Sipe
The signs of change are clearly evident on the skyline of Presque Isle. Entering the city from the south the new Community Center rises visibly over the Presque Isle Stream.
One of the largest construction projects in recent memory is coming to life and with it many changes. As we enter spring and move in to the summer these changes will dramatically transform both the area around Riverside Park and the opportunities for the citizens of the city.
The first big change is the construction of the new Community Center. We have all witnessed the building slowly rising in the skyline. The skeleton and much of the exterior shell is nearing completion.
What is not so evident from the outside is the transformation of the interior. Walls are going up, floors are being laid, and soon some finishing touches will be added. With spring, crews will quickly complete the exterior finishes and, as the ground dries, begin the necessary groundwork.
Grading of the site will begin along with the construction of walkways and parking lots. New parking lots are planned next to the new center as well as across Chapman Street near Riverside Park and the new baseball field.
Partially hidden from view by the houses on Chapman Street is the new baseball field on Bishop’s Island. Last fall the area was graded, drainage was installed, and top seeding completed. This reworking of the old Bishop’s Island field will create a new baseball field to take the place of the old one on Main Street and will locate most recreational facilities in the Riverside Park area near the new Community Center. Shortly the field will be completed with final seeding, fencing, lights and dugouts.
With the sale of the Main Street field and the time needed to allow the grass on the new field to take hold, the Recreation Department will have to rely on SAD 1 facilities for its baseball program this summer, with the goal of being on the new field in the spring of 2017.
As we get closer to the completion of the Center, a committee has been working on plans for a new splash pad near the current Riverside building by the Presque Isle Steam. A design has been chosen, a site picked, and parking planned and scheduled to be built this spring. All funding needed for this new and exciting feature in the park has not been finalized, but it is the committee’s hope that the splash park will become a reality in the near future.
While occupied with the construction, the City and its Recreation Department have not lost sight of the potential for growth in programing and services. In fact, plans are underway for how the building can best be utilized to enhance and add to programing already in place. With a new senior center, and expanded gym, a teen center, and a new multi-purpose room, the options are endless.
Staff has been designing new programing and schedules. With the said, this Center is designed for you. Suggestions that you may have on programs and activities you would like to see at the new Center are welcome. Contact the Recreation Department and speak with Chris Beaulieu to make suggestions.
A new era in recreational programing is upon us here in Presque Isle. The generosity of so many donors and the taxpayers of the community have laid the groundwork for a center and enhanced Riverside Park area that will take us well into the future. As the building rises so do our spirits and expectations for the future of our community. The vision of the citizens of Presque Isle along with their generosity have transformed the city’s skyline and will transform the lives of all its citizens.
Kevin Sipe is chairman of the city’s Recreation Advisory Committee.
