HOULTON, Maine — For more than a decade, Riverfront Park in Houlton has steadily become one of the most popular public spaces in town.
Home to the community’s expansive Gateway Crossing footbridge, along with a playground, picnic area and walking trail, it has helped draw large numbers of residents and visitors into the space for relaxation, recreation and special events.
Last year, town councilors approved construction of bathroom facilities in the park, which were scheduled to be built by this summer.
That hasn’t happened though because of grant funding issues, according to Bob Anderson, chairman of the Riverfront Committee. Despite the issues, Anderson said he expects that construction on the $75,000 project will begin by the spring of 2018.
The Riverfront Committee formed about a decade ago to create the downtown park, which centers on Gateway Crossing, a pedestrian footbridge that stretches from the North Street Bridge across the Meduxnekeag River.
The council approved construction on the project in May 2016 after much discussion and some controversy over the necessity of building the restrooms and who would be responsible for maintaining them. The structure will have facilities for men and women along with plumbing and electricity. It would only be open from May through November.
According to Anderson, the town applied for a joint state and federal grant last year to help with the construction costs. The state approved the funding but federal officials have not yet given the OK.
However, Nancy Ketch, the town’s grant writer and community development director, said that the town expects to hear on the financing this week.
“We are optimistic that we’ll get the funding,” said Anderson. “But even if we don’t, I believe we’ll have enough money raised to start construction next year. People have been very generous to us. That speaks to how much they love the park.”
He said that a number of the construction firms that are lined up to build the restrooms are offering some in-kind services, which “are a major benefit to us as we move forward with this.”
Another concern of councilors upon approving the project was the possibility of vandals damaging them, especially at night. Anderson said that the committee’s prevention strategy entails having doors on the facility that lock automatically at a certain time each night.
“There are also cameras in the park that are tied directly to the Houlton Police Department,” he said. “So the park is always being watched. One of the cameras will be trained on the restrooms.”
