Biddeford Recreation – BIDDEFORD GAZETTE

By RANDY SEAVER, Editor

During Tuesday’s city council meeting, several residents used the words “community engagement,” during a public hearing about how the city should prioritize funding of its neglected recreational assets.

Several of those who testified before the council pointed to the principles and importance of community engagement, arguing that the council should prioritize projects that have received the most public feedback — most notably support for repairing or replacing the city’s former skate park that was located on outer Main Street as part of Rotary Park.

Tuesday’s public hearing was only the city’s latest effort to again seek public input and feedback about the city’s recreational facilities, and which projects should be a priority.

In November, voters approved a $6 million bond that is designated for upgrades and repairs to more than a dozen of the city’s recreational assets, including parks, playgrounds and infrastructure.

Anne Thompson of Biddeford tells the city council that the skatepark was a vital community resource, especially for at-risk youth who may not participate in more structured recreational activities (Seaver Photo)

The city recently released an online survey that asked residents to rank the projects that are the most important to them.

Over the next few weeks, city councilors from each of the city’s seven voting wards will be hosting individual ward meetings to solicit resident feedback about the recreation bond and other community issues.

Several people packed the council chambers Tuesday but most left quickly after the recreation public hearing.

Despite several pleas and noting the importance of public engagement, there was absolutely no community engagement or public comment during a second public hearing regarding the use of federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.

Kids got a ‘raw deal’ from the city

The former skate park received broad public support from a diverse and vocal group of city residents.

Several residents said the city “took away” the skate park, a popular social gathering spot for younger residents.

City officials, however, maintain that the park was closed because of “safety and liability” concerns created by cracked and crumbling concrete skating pads.

*Steven Gudschinsky of Biddeford told the council that the city should have been maintaining the skatepark as opposed to letting it fall into disrepair (Seaver photo)*

Several residents balked at the city’s rationale for closing the park, arguing the city has a responsibility to repair and maintain all of its public infrastructure, including the skatepark.

“We now have an opportunity to heal an old wound,” said resident Holly Culloton during her remarks in support of the skatepark.

Other residents were equally as passionate, saying the city should embrace “atonement” for its decision to close the park nearly two years ago.

Anne Thompson, an older resident, told the council that the skatepark was a vital community asset and a resource for “at-risk kids” who may not participate in more structured school sports programs.

Steven Gudschinsky of Biddeford didn’t mince his words.

“The kids and the voters got a raw deal,” he said. “That park should have been maintained all along”

Why was previous public input ignored?

Biddeford resident Samanntha Lance and her wife, former city councilor Neva Lance, drew rousing applause from the audience when they offered their comments to the council from the podium.

Former city councilor Neva Lance watches as Samanntha Lance tells the council that they are duty-bound to honor a commitment the city made more than two years ago about the former skatepark. This is a matter of trust, she said. (Seaver photo)

Samanntha Lance reminded the newer members of the council that her wife attended a previous public meeting about the skate park that was also attended by former mayor Marty Grohman and current mayor Liam LaFountain – before the skate park was closed for public use.

Lance told the council that a “large number of parents and young people” also attended that event.

“That meeting was not casual conversation,” Lance told the council. “It was a serious discussion. Families and kids showed up. They spoke about what the skate park meant to them. They shared concerns, ideas, and hopes for its future. Their input was documented. And the three sitting city officials present — including my wife — gave their word that their concerns would not be ignored and that the skate park was not gone forever.”

Lance said those words seemed to fall on deaf ears, despite continued robust community input during subsequent city meetings.

“The city later told those same families that funding was not available,” Lance told the council. “Residents were encouraged to pursue fundraising efforts — GoFundMe campaigns and other community-driven solutions — if they wanted to see the project rebuilt.”

Lance said the skate park should not have to compete among the city’s other recreational assets because the public already spoke out overwhelmingly in support of the skate park.

“The public showed up in numbers we have not seen for any other recreation issue in the past year. The community has already spoken,” Lance said.

“In a time when trust in government is fragile, keeping your word matters. When public officials give their word to families and children, that promise should stand — especially when the funding now exists.”

“This is about more than concrete and ramps,” Lance added. “It is about trust. It is about accountability. And it is about showing this community — especially its young people — that when they show up and speak, their government listens.”

CORRECTION: An earlier version of the story incorrectly listed Samanntha Vance as Samantha Vance. It has been corrected. We apologize for the error.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He has been covering Biddeford news and politics for nearly three decades. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com

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By RANDY SEAVER, Editor

Biddeford voters will soon decide the fate of a $6 million bond that would be used to upgrade, repair and enhance several of the city’s recreational assets, including parks, playgrounds and buildings.

On Tuesday, the Biddeford Gazette was invited to tour some of the sites that need upgrades and repairs.

*Facilities coordinator Brian Dunphe points to pipes that are leaking and patched in the basement of the J. Richard Martin Community Center. (Seaver photo)*

Lisa Thompson has been the director of the Biddeford Recreation Department for a little more than three years.

Thompson says she wants people “to feel proud” of Biddeford’s parks, playgrounds and recreational facilities.

If approved by voters, the
recreation bond will have a $38
impact on the average homeowner

Currently, Thompson says her staff is spending more time on patching problems on aging infrastructure instead of focusing on services and programs for city residents.

“Basically, we have a never-ending to-do list,” Thompson said, pointing out that funding for recreation is often considered to be a luxury item, ignoring how many residents use their services and programs.

Thompson concedes that the $6 million bond will likely not cover everything on her “to-do list,” but said the funding will allow her department to tackle “high priority” repairs and upgrades.

City Manager Truc Dever said that if the bond is approved by voters, the city will begin a community engagement effort to see which projects residents most support.

“Ultimately, the city council will have the final say, but we want the public to be actively involved in the decision-making process,” Dever said.

If approved by voters, the recreation bond will have an impact of a little more than nine cents on the mil rate.

Based on the average bond payment, the impact of this question on a median home valued at $382,500 is $37.62, according to city officials.

The tour revealed several examples of aging and inefficient infrastructure that is currently being funded in a piecemeal manner that does not address long-term needs.

Our tour began in the very same building where the Recreation Department is housed: The J. Richard Martin Community Center on Alfred Street.

In addition to housing the Recreation Department, the building is also used by a number of non-profit community groups, including La Kermesse, Meals on Wheels and the 50-Plus club. Those clubs all pay leases for their respective spaces in the building.

The Community Center – formerly a public school — was built in 1888, and it is showing its age.

*A group of young men play a quick pic-up game of basketball at Mayfield Park*

The building’s heating, ventilation and cooling costs have been skyrocketing because of inefficiencies and an outdated heating and ventilation system with an old boiler and a giant oil-fired hot water tank.

According to Facilities Coordinator Brian Dunphe, it takes an average of 500 gallons of heating oil each week to keep the building heated.

“We’re spending roughly $65,000 per year just for heating oil,” Dunphe said.

Our next stop was at St. Louis Field, located at the corner of Hill and West streets.

*Brian Dunphe holds up a section of the sagging perimeter fence at St. Louis Field*

St. Louis Field is used by the Biddeford High School baseball teams and is home to the annual La Kermesse Festival. The University of New England also rents the field for its baseball teams.

The field’s perimeter fence is rotting, and its concrete anchors are cracked and visible. The current fence sags and is a stark contrast to the nearby Waterhouse Field, which is operated and controlled by the Biddeford School Department.

Dunphe said a 2023 estimate for replacement of the fencing was $380,000.

At Rotary Park, the club house building does not meet standards required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. (ADA) The bath house needs a new roof, and you can see where plywood was placed to prevent birds from nesting in the roof.

At Mayfield Park on May Street, we came across a group of young adults playing basketball not far from tennis courts that need to be resurfaced.

“We need activities that young people can use,” said Gabe Smith, who said he visits the park two to three times per week. “Young people need resources and positive, safe opportunities.”

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Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com

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