Bethel as a barometer for economy of western Maine
For our focus on Lewiston-Auburn and western Maine, our cover story looks at efforts to attract off-season visitors to Bethel and the surrounding area.
Bethel already has a lot going for it. It’s situated between Sunday River and Mt. Abram ski areas, giving it a wintertime influx of visitors. It also hosts Nordic ski events from the Bethel Inn. It has a strong downtown, with restaurants, shops and inns. It has a private school, Gould Academy, which ensures an influx of new people. It has a small regional airport.
What it doesn’t have is that same level of engagement in the warmer months. But, as Senior Writer Laurie Schreiber writes, that is starting to change. She talks to some of the key people trying to build a year-round visitor base — the head of the chamber of commerce, the director of a nonprofit that raises money for trail networks (including ones connecting Bethel to the ski areas) and to the GM of the Bethel Inn, among others.
Much of Bethel’s effort to bolster its summertime business depends on finding workers — and isn’t that a story we’ve heard before, in many different contexts. Seasonal workers are often college students or residents from nearby towns, so finding places to house workers has been key, as has the creation of a bus line connecting surrounding towns. Laurie’s story starts on Page 14.
Elsewhere in the issue, Maureen Milliken looks at Auburn’s efforts to build its agricultural economy, while it balances out what kind of incentives are feasible. Page 18.
Senior Writer Renee Cordes has a roundup of news from around Lewiston and Auburn, including ongoing efforts to build out the Bates Mill and sustainability initiatives at Bates College.
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