Windham is installing solar-powered information kiosks to relay messages and support local initiatives and economic planning by connecting residents to local businesses and events.

Kiosks were installed at the Town Hall and Lippman Park last week, with another to be placed at the Lowell Preserve this spring.

Linda Brooks, director of the Windham Parks and Recreation Department, said the idea is a modernization of the department’s existing set of kiosks. Located at all of Windham’s park locations, the “old-school” kiosks have physical flyers that can quickly become outdated if not replaced. By contrast, the electronic kiosks can provide up-to-the-minute updates that can be regularly switched out.

Brooks said the town started an initiative called Windham Outdoors, which enabled it to apply for a grant from the Community Outdoor Recreation Assistance Program through the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development. The grant, she said, is a one-time opportunity geared toward increasing recreational tourism in Maine.

A recent study from the town’s economic development corporation identified Windham’s outdoor amenities and facilities as one of its strongest resources, Brooks said. She identified regionally significant areas such as the East Windham Conservation Area, Mountain Division Trail, Presumpscot River and Sebago Lake, and wanted to give more people an opportunity to take advantage of them.

Economic Development Director Tom Bartell said one precedent for an electronic kiosk system in Maine was in the Bangor-Brewer area, where kiosks were installed through the same grant opportunity last year. Bartell also recalled discussions with the kiosks’ manufacturer, Soofa, about how Windham was one of the first instances of electronic kiosks being installed near a trail. Soofa previously manufactured informational kiosks in major cities such as Boston.

Communications Director Roger Cropley said the kiosks currently have four quadrants, one controlled by Parks and Rec, one giving information about the weather, one with a link to the town’s Instagram, and another dedicated to promoting community events, and are updated every 60 minutes. Bartell said the solar-powered nature of the kiosks makes them good for parks, as it removes the need for electrical or Wi-Fi connections.

Bartell also said he hoped the kiosks would be a good way for local businesses to advertise to visitors on trails and connect them to the rest of the community. Cropley said that, while the town had not yet determined how businesses would advertise through the kiosks, it was something the town was looking forward to doing, as the whole point of the kiosks is to drive people from the trails toward the restaurants and businesses in town.

Brooks said Soofa allows kiosks to be moved and tried out at other locations. She brought up the example of Dundee Park, saying it was inconvenient for them to install one there in the winter, but they may move one of the kiosks there in the future. Other potential locations included the community park during Food Truck Night.

“We feel really strongly that it’s a great opportunity to not only get information about what we’re doing, but also what other community organizations are doing,” said Brooks.