New plywood factory, park among Somerset County recipients of $410K in TIF grants

A woman in an office stands next to a man, both white and wearing facemasks, with three other men at a long table behind them

Courtesy / Main Street Skowhegan Kristina Cannon, center, accepts a grant award of $173,000 Wednesday from the Somerset County Commissioners TIF Committee that will pay for permitting fees on the Run of River whitewater park project.

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By Maureen Milliken

The Run of River whitewater park project in Skowhegan, a craft beer company renovating a downtown former mill and a Bingham plywood manufacturer that will bring 100 jobs to northern Somerset County are among six businesses or projects sharing $410,000 in economic development support from Somerset County.

The Somerset County Commissioners Tax Increment Financing Committee Wednesday distributed money from its TIF and Community Benefit Fund to six entities that are enhancing the county's economic foundation.

The $173,000 the Run of River project received closed the gap on what was needed to apply for permits due this summer, said Kristina Cannon, executive director of Main Street Skowhegan.

"That was the next hurdle for us to get over," Cannon told Mainebiz. With that money raised, she said that the Run of River Committee can now focus on raising money for the final design and construction of the $7.9 million whitewater park, which will be downtown in the Kennebec River Gorge and is expected to generate $6 million in the local economy in its first year and up to $19 million by its 10th year.

The committee also awarded $50,000 to Maine Plywood USA in conjunction with a $100,000 loan approved by Somerset Economic Development Corp. The company will be New England's only plywood manufacturer, and is renovating the former Qumiby mill, in Bingham.

Maine Plywood USA "will breathe new life into Bingham" by creating more than 100 jobs, and providing contracts of more than 100,000 tons of lumber annually, the committee said. The mill will produce an American-made, Maine-made product to offset foreign imports," the committee said.

Christian Savage, executive director of the SEDC, said, "I give the commission a lot of credit in their forward-thinking approach on how to allocate some of the TIF and Community Benefits funds. These awards, and several other over the years, are a true testament of leveraging private-public partnerships with both businesses and meaningful projects throughout Somerset County."

The grants are:

$173,000 for the Run of River Whitewater Recreation Area from the Community Benefit Fund.
$100,000 to Bigelow Brewing Co. from the CBF.
$50,000 to Maine Plywood USA LLC in conjunction with $100,000 SEDC loan approval from TIF funds.
$65,000 to Valley Riders Snowmobile Club, split between CBF and TIF.
$12,000 to the Skowhegan Area Chamber of Commerce from CBF.
$10,000 to the Somerset County Humane Society/Shelter from CBF.

Run of River rolling along

Cannon said the Run of River team is working with a local firm to draft a constructability plan and cross-reference and finalize budget figures. The team is also focusing on fundraising for the next phase of the project. The town has as reserved $1.4 million for construction, leaving an estimated $6.5 million to be raised. She said, depending on how the permitting and design plans go, construction could begin next year or the year after.

“We are thrilled that Somerset County’s Commissioners see the value of Run of River as a major economic development initiative for the region,” she said. The project is expected to bring outdoor enthusiasts from all over New England, and be a catalyst to further projects that bring recreation to the Kennebec River.

"We feel this will result in new water activities not just in Skowhegan but also northward along the Kennebec, which will help our rafting and paddling businesses north of here," the TIF committee said in a news release announcing the award. "We continue to be impressed by Main Street’s commitment and vision of this project and hope this award will help continue the momentum we’re all seeing lately.”

The Run of River will feature a river park with enhanced waves — including the Northeast’s only adjustable wave — for paddling, river surfing, standup paddle boarding, bodyboarding and tubing. Skowhegan’s downtown Kennebec River gorge will become a go-to venue for whitewater competitions and events, drawing thousands of people to the region annually, those behind the project have said.

“I’ve seen how other river parks around the country have revitalized their commercial districts, and I can’t wait for that to happen in Skowhegan with the completion of our very own paddle and surf park,” Cannon said. “We’re grateful to the commissioners and TIF committee for recognizing the potential and investing in the region’s future as an outdoor recreation destination.”

She said this morning that the permitting process is rigorous, because it's the first project of it's kind permitted in the Northeast. A similar project broke ground last month in Franklin, New Hampshire, on the Winnepesaukee and Pemigewassett rivers.

Cannon said that she's already getting word from businesses that are acquiring property, or plan to, in anticipation of Run of River opening.

an old brick mill overlooking a river with a dam and rocky falls

Photo / Maureen Milliken

Bigelow Brewing Co. is renovating the former Solon Manafacturing mill on Skowhegan Island, just a short ways away from where the Run of River whitewater park will be built.

Economic development across Somerset County

One of those is Bigelow Brewing Co. — owners Jeff and Pam Powers bought the former Salon Manufacturing building at 7 Island Ave., on Skowhegan Island, next to the falls that lead into the gorge, in November 2019. The committee said that the craft beer company's commitment to Skowhegan is a benefit to the town's development.

“Redeveloping the former Solon Manufacturing mill will be a great move for them as well as a wonderful opportunity to attract even more visitors to downtown Skowhegan," the release said.

The couple, who have been running the company out of a converted barn on their property since 2014, are developing the first floor of the four-story building for a brewery and tap room, and ultimately hope to develop residential space on upper floors and a restaurant with sweeping views of the Kennebec on the fourth floor.

The money for the snowmobile club included $16,250.00 from the TIF and $48,750 from the Community Benefit Fund, and matched a $65,000 loan from the Somerset Economic Development Corp.

The money will help the club buy a used groomer. The club is responsible for close to 100 miles of trails in the area. "Outdoor recreation is vital to numerous businesses in Somerset County bringing outside dollars and visitors to our region," the county commissioners said.

The money to the chamber will help pay for a welcome center in Bingham to promote the area to the increasing amount of traffic on U.S. Route 201, which runs the length of the county, and connects with the Canadian border crossing in Jackman. The chamber recently built a similar center in Madison, which is in between Skowhegan and Jackman.