Town of Fairfield to host public workshop on park development

Mill Island Park

As part of a planning process to re-envision Fairfield’s waterfront and downtown assets, the Town of Fairfield’s Economic and Community Development Committee (FECDC) is inviting the public to participate in a community input and planning workshop to provide feedback on the redevelopment of Mill Island Park. The Park, which features remnants of the historical United Boxboard and Paper Company at the northern tip of Mill Island, offers expansive views of the Kennebec River.

“Mill Island Park’s unique geography, combined with its rich history as a manufacturing and industrial site, highlights the Town of Fairfield’s recreational, historical, and educational assets, in addition to its expansive waterfront,” elaborates Fairfield Town Manager Michelle Flewelling. “Inviting the community to participate in the workshop will allow the Economic and Community Development Committee to create redevelopment initiatives geared towards improving access to the waterfront while highlighting Fairfield’s growing and proximal downtown.”

Mill Island Park is owned and maintained by the Town of Fairfield, where recent beautification has included removing brush and restoring access and view corridors of the Kennebec River from the western and eastern waterfronts of Mill Island Park. A survey recently conducted by FECDC examined six areas throughout the Island Park, dubbed “zones”, to determine where improvements and redevelopment should be prioritized by the municipality.

Garvan Donegan

“Inviting the community to provide critical perspectives into a planning process is a fundamental aspect of community planning and economic development initiatives, leading to more comprehensive and innovative ideas that celebrate a municipality’s unique assets,” states Central Maine Growth Council Director of Planning, Innovation, and Economic Development Garvan Donegan. “FECDC’s role in shaping the future of Fairfield’s waterfront development echoes a sentiment of municipal pride while actively planning improvement initiatives to shape the Town’s short- and long-term strategies for growth.”

Scheduled for Tuesday, January 31 at 6:30 p.m., the public input session will take place at the Fairfield Community Center Gymnasium, located at 61 Water Street, in Fairfield; a snow date for the event is scheduled at the gymnasium for Wednesday, February 1, at 6:30 p.m. Residents and interested parties are invited to provide feedback, recommend improvements, and engage with committee members and town staff.