BOWDOINHAM will look to take advantage of the current public works facility’s location on the Cathance River once the department relocates.
A new place for Bowdoinham residents to enjoy the Cathance River is in the works.
Town Planner Nicole Briand said the town is looking to turn a list of ideas into an economical design for area at 8 River Road, soon to be the former home of Bowdoinham’s public works facility. To that end, the town is planning to hire a landscape architect to develop the plan.
The Planning Committee has gotten feedback from residents for the future recreation area, which has been the desire of the town for a while.
“That is what the town the town found people wanted,” said Briand. “Part of the process will be verifying what people want.”
Some ideas that have been mentioned include a dock — either for swimming or boat use — and a public gathering place. Hiring someone to analyze the site will give the town an idea of what can be salvaged and used from the public works facility.
Briand will be accepting applications for the redevelopment of the site until May 10. Once a landscape architect is in place, the town is hoping to have a better idea of the potential cost of new elements to the area. The cost for long-term maintenance, to maintain a dock for example, will also be analyzed.
The firm hired will be asked to look at the existing elements of the location, such as the garage and slab foundation. The process will remain public once the plan starts to develop. In its request for proposals, the town lists October 2018 as a potential first public hearing date on the project. Construction on the new community recreation area could begin in 2020.
“We will continue to get public input,” said Briand. “All of this process will be public.”
chris@timesrecord.com
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