Madawaska’s midtown revitalization plans move forward with planned health center

Courtesy / Fish River Rural Health A rendering shows the planned Fish River Rural Health facility, which is slated for construction starting in 2023.

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By Alexis Wells

The town of Madawaska said this week its midtown revitalization project is entering the next phase of the urban redevelopment.

This phase centers around the development of a new, 30,000-square-foot site for Fish River Rural Health, anchoring and revitalizing the Midtown Shopping Plaza.

Fish River Rural Health will offer family medicine, behavioral health, psychiatric medication management, dental, optometry, chiropractic, nutrition, eligibility assistance, chronic care management, RN coordination and wellness services.

Construction for Fish River Rural Health is expected to begin in 2023. Plans for the site started in 2021.

"The expressed interest was perfect timing," said Madawaska Town Manager Gary Picard. "We had been looking for months to secure development for the midtown shopping plaza location and what would best serve our community and revitalize the space."

In the past few weeks, Madawaska finalized the necessary surveys, legal work and documents needed to move the development forward. The town gifted 1.68 acres to Fish River Rural Health.

"Fish River Rural Health is profoundly grateful to the Town of Madawaska for the generous gift of downtown property," said Fish River Rural Health CEO Heather Pelletier.

The Midtown Shopping Plaza revitalization and development encompasses the shared parking area, the public library, Farmers Market and the surrounding buildings. The plan also calls for expanding a downtown recreational trail for multi-use access.

Financial assistance was provided by the Maine Department of Community and Economic Development's CDBG Downtown Revitalization Program. Funds from the Northern Border Regional Commission will be used to demolish blighted properties and construct parks and multi-use trail systems.