BIDDEFORD — A highly-anticipated park and amphitheater along the Biddeford RiverWalk that’s been in the works for months could open to the public within a few weeks, according to city officials.

The amphitheater, known as Laconia Plaza on city development plans, is under construction between the North Dam Mill and the Mill at Saco Falls along the city’s riverfront. For months, city residents have been asking online when information about the park will be made available to the public.

“I know we’re working on some logistics on when it will be used, and when it will not be, and how,” City Manager Jim Bennett said Monday. “I know it’s still in the construction phase because it’s not done.”

Bennett said there may be another week or two of construction on the actual park, and then the city will evaluate its easement with the owners of the Pepperell Mill Campus to discuss signage and fencing for the park.

Bennett’s words echo those of Mayor Alan Casavant, who said in an email obtained by the Journal Tribune on Sunday that the city had further steps to go with its easement for the property, “as well as devise proper planning in terms of accessibility, hours, rules, etc.”

Casavant could not be reached for further comment on Monday.

According to C. Scott Joslin, director of development for the Pepperell Mill Campus, part of the easement’s evaluation will include determining the park’s hours of operation and establishing security features.

“We’re just trying to work through those simple issues,” Joslin said.

Discussion about the amphitheater comes after public demand for information about the park on the Biddeford RiverWalk Coalition’s Facebook page. Many local Facebook users are saying they think the park is a nice addition to the downtown, but haven’t heard anything about programming in the space, with several wondering where the park is even located.

“Where exactly is this? Looks great!” posted Biddeford resident Erin McGuiggin Behen on June 27.

“Let’s not waste the summer without having access to this beautiful spot,” Daniel Puglisi posted on July 6.

Brian Phinney, chief operating officer for the city, could not be reached for comment on the project’s costs or for details regarding further developments to the RiverWalk.

Director of Economic Development Daniel Stevenson was also unable to provide financial information regarding the park’s cost of construction, but said money had come from both the city and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Brownfields Program, which provides grant money to communities to assess, clean up and sustainably reuse “brownfields,” or areas considered to be hazardous or polluted.

Stevenson said this new addition to the RiverWalk is part of a larger goal to expand the existing waterfront trail throughout Biddeford and eventually to the Eastern Trail, a pedestrian highway that runs from Bug Light in South Portland to Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

“The ultimate goal is try to connect the RiverWalk to the Eastern Trail, as well as having connectivity to the downtown,” Stevenson said.

Joslin did not wantS to comment on specific details regarding the city’s easement evaluation on the property, saying when asked that he would rather wait to discuss the easement once the town and the property owners had come to an agreement.

“We’re working to come up with mutually agreeable terms with that easement,” Joslin said.

“I fully expect within a couple weeks those things will be taken care of,” Bennett said.

— Staff Writer Alan Bennett can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 329 or [email protected].