October 10, 2012

Cape Elizabeth architect named town's citizen of the year

John Mitchell is the 24th recipient of the annual Ralph T. Gould Award.

By Gillian Graham ggraham@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

CAPE ELIZABETH — The town tonight will present its annual citizen of the year award to the resident who prepared the initial concept for the design of the Fort Williams Park entrance.

John Mitchell, a Cape Elizabeth resident for more than 35 years, is the 24th recipient of the Ralph T. Gould Award.

As a young architect in 1976, Mitchell saw the advantage of placing a new road along a ridge that affords sweeping views of the Portland Harbor ship channel and saw the benefits of closing a road that passed by dilapidated garages where the park's lawns now sit, said Town Manager Michael McGovern.

More recently, Mitchell volunteered as a design consultant for the first phase of the Fort Williams Arboretum and helped design the park's group picnic shelter.

He also designed interpretive signs at Great Pond, served as the landscape consultant for the Shore Road Path and advised the town as it updated the master plan for Fort Williams.

"John was hired for a number of municipal projects, but always has done much more than any hours he ever billed the town. He must have walked Shore Road 10 times to find the best layout for the path," said Town Planner Maureen O'Meara in a press release.

The award will be presented to Mitchell by Town Council Chairwoman Sara Lennon, who said "his vision has created some of the character in our community most enjoyed by local residents."

Mitchell also created the initial design for the Spring Point Shoreway and Wainwright Athletic Fields in South Portland.
 

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