After more than five years of planning and fundraising, the city of Portland and the Portland Parks Conservancy broke ground on April 10 for Phase 1 of a new waterfront park at a 3.5-acre site on the former queuing lines for the now-defunct Nova Scotia ferry.
The park, temporarily referred to as Portland Harbor Common, was the vision of the late Richard Barringer, a civic leader who, with his team, proposed the park in 2020 and worked with the city, the conservancy and others on the project.
Over the next six months, the lot will be turned into a public greenspace that includes walking and biking trails, trees, native plantings, lawn areas, hardscape areas for event space or food trucks, lighting and parking for nearby water-dependent uses.
The city’s public art committee is commissioning a new installation for the space.
The park is expected to open by the end of 2026.
Waterfront access
The conservancy spearheaded a fundraising effort that secured more than $2.5 million for the project, including a congressionally directed spending grant; support from David E. Shaw, Barringer and his wife Martha Freeman; Maine Community Bank; and an urban and community forestry grant from Project Canopy, a Maine Forest Service community forestry program.
“At a time when this area is seeing rapid changes and development, this space will preserve the public’s access to the waterfront for generations to come,” said Ethan Hipple, director of the city’s parks, recreation and facilities department.
Crumbling lot
The project will transform what is now a crumbling surface parking lot at a prominent and scenic location, said Jack Phillips, the conservancy’s executive director.
Following Phase 1, a broader effort aims to transform the eastern waterfront into an extensive new park extending from Maine State Pier to the new Portland Foreside development.
Additional phases will focus primarily on the area east of Ocean Gateway. Portland nonprofit Trust for Public Land, which helps to create parks and protect public land, has signed on as a partner to support park design, fundraising and community engagement. The city and its partners are seeking funds for design and construction for additional phases of the project.
“The eastern waterfront of Portland has seen transformative development in recent years,” said Hipple. “With a lot of hotels, a marina and office space coming into this neighborhood, it is a priority to preserve a piece of land on our waterfront where the public can come to sit and enjoy the view, play, experience culture and create community.”
