MAINE — Smart growth is a common-sense concept that helps communities welcome – and navigate – growth where it makes sense for the long term while still maintaining Maine’s iconic historic downtowns and neighborhoods, and natural beauty.

GrowSmart Maine’s seventh annual Maine Smart Growth Awards recognize the diverse activities that contribute to smart growth and serve as real-life illustrations of the benefits it can bring. A video recognizing this year’s four winners was presented at the GrowSmart Maine Summit 2024 on October 21st.

This year’s winners showcase bold solutions to such challenges as designing equitable transportation choices in rural Aroostook county and restitching together a neighborhood on Portland’s peninsula.  We also showcase two Mainers who have a track record of smart growth development and a longstanding housing policy that has incentivized new housing projects that align with smart growth outcomes.

This year’s judges were C.J. Opperthauser, Executive Director of Friends of Congress Square Park; Sarah Haggerty, Conservation Biologist/GIS Manager at Maine Audubon; and Heather Spalding, Deputy Director and Senior Policy Director at MOFGA.

“We are pleased to present this year’s Maine Smart Growth Awards,” said Nancy Smith, CEO of GrowSmart Maine. “These recipients stood out in an incredibly competitive pool of nominations which  underscore the abundance of plans, projects, policies, and practitioners around Maine that have centered smart growth outcomes as a guiding star. Congratulations to the award winners and keep up the great work!”

The 2024 winners are:

Exemplary Smart Growth Plan: Presque Isle Main Street Study

City of Presque Isle and Maine Department of Transportation

The City of Presque Isle and MaineDOT contracted with T.Y. Lin International and Rasor Landscape Architecture to develop recommendations for both short and long-term improvements in the downtown area of the City. The purpose of the study was to improve accessibility and safety for all transportation modes while complementing local economic development strategies and objectives. In particular, a major focus of the study was improving existing bicycle and pedestrian facilities and identifying new facilities that improve connectivity from the University of Maine at Presque Isle and underserved neighborhoods to the downtown and local businesses. This was determined to be critically important given a relatively low level of automobile ownership. The proposed design creates in many places fully protected or separated facilities that offer safe, comfortable, and enjoyable spaces for enhanced walkability. To accomplish this, the study applied “complete streets” principles and “right-sized” roadways and intersections thus creating a transportation system that is safe and balanced for all users.

Community members have used the word “transformational” at public meetings when describing the downtown redesign because the right sizing of the transportation infrastructure will allow a rediscovery and reconnection of the Presque Isle’s greatest assets such as Main Street, schools, recreation facilities, UMPI, the riverfront, the surrounding residential neighborhoods, and open spaces. People understand that the redesign is an opportunity to reclaim the downtown as the heart of the community where meaningful relationships and traditions can flourish.

Exemplary Smart Growth Project:

Mercy Hospital State Street Campus Redevelopment

NewHeight Redfern and Community Housing of Maine/Portland Housing Authority

Redevelopment of the Mercy Hospital State Street campus into a high-density, mixed-income residential campus is an excellent example of smart growth. This project features adaptive reuse of the historic hospital building, creation of outdoor public space in a shared woonerf, improvements to existing utility infrastructure, implementation of a Traffic Demand Management Plan to encourage and support alternative forms of transportation, and homes both for rent and for sale in an existing urban center. In addition, the redevelopment transformed surface parking into housing, recreated the street wall along Winter Street, and stitched back together the neighborhood that had been divided when the hospital was built.

Of the 269 new housing units, many are dedicated to affordable housing. 10% of the Nightingale apartments are set aside for workforce housing. Equinox and Winter Landing, being built with Community Housing of Maine and the Portland Housing Authority, will offer affordable housing to families and older adults making between 50-60% of the area median income. In addition, Winter Landing will include 15 units for long-term homeless older adults. The Equinox includes 10 units for persons in recovery from substance use disorder who are seeking family reunification.

By redeveloping an existing campus, this project directs additional growth into an already dense, downtown residential housing area where public transportation is readily accessible. Community gathering space is created with a shared woonerf that knits the block together and allows for enhanced pedestrian access while also accommodating vehicles. Provisions for eco-friendly transit include the new bus stop and ample bicycle storage.

Outstanding Public Policy

MaineHousing Qualified Allocation Plan

MaineHousing

For nearly two decades MaineHousing’s Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP), which is the basis for affordable housing tax credit awards, has incorporated “smart growth” principles and rewarded developers and communities that embrace smart growth principles in their housing developments. The current QAP awards up to 15 points (out of 85 possible) for Smart Growth developments. This can often be the difference between whether an affordable housing development ultimately receives the financing it needs toward completion.

All over Maine, there are tangible examples of how MaineHousing’s embrace of Smart Growth principles for housing often becomes the anchoring piece for the revitalization of a downtown or village center community. This long-standing commitment to the principles of Smart Growth, including the key element of backing Smart Growth housing developments, both encourages and rewards those who do more than just talk about limiting sprawl, increasing housing density, or reusing historic buildings.

Outstanding Smart Growth Practitioners

Jon and Cindy Smith

Great Falls Construction

Jon and Cindy Smith are President and Vice President respectively of Great Falls Construction, a family owned and operated design build, construction management, general contractor, developer located in Gorham, Maine. When envisioning smart growth and how that plays out in tangible terms within a community, one think of projects like:

The 109 Main Street or Station Square developments in Gorham (previous Maine Smart Growth Award winning project),

South Windham’s Fire Station redevelopment into ‘Red City Ale’,

Berwick’s ‘The Edge’ redevelopment of the former Prime Tanning Facility,

The complete renovation of Sebago’s ‘Richard’s Dairy Delight’.

These developments, design-built by Great Falls Construction with Jon and Cindy at the helm, range throughout different communities in Maine but all seek to foster one thing: community. It is their commitment to safe, sustainable, quality, attractive, village center development that enhances our sense of place allowing for strength to continue to grow throughout our communities.

PORTLAND, ME – Evergreen Credit Union was recently recognized by Best Places to Work and The Windham Eagle in their 2024 annual business awards.

Evergreen Credit Union has been named one of the Best Places to Work in Maine by the Maine State Council of the Society for Human Resource Management, Best Companies Group and BridgeTower Media.

“The 2024 Best Places to Work in Maine are trailblazers that know how to create a culture focused on building strong, successful teams. They are committed to providing their employees with a positive workplace experience which translates into excellent customer service,” said Suzanne Fischer-Huettner, managing director of BridgeTower Media for the East Division.

This is the 9th year Evergreen Credit Union has been named on the list. “We are honored to be named as a Best Place to Work in Maine,” said Jason Lindstrom, Evergreen Credit Union’s President/CEO. “It’s a true testimony of our employee-centric culture and level of member service we’re proud to provide.”

Evergreen Credit Union is also named #1 Credit Union and #2 Mortgage Company in the 2024 Windham Eagle Choice Awards for the 7th year in a row. “Our team provides service to our members for all their financial needs with this in mind and it shows. We couldn’t be prouder!” said Rachel Hutchinson, AVP/Branch Manager at Evergreen’s Windham location.

Evergreen Credit Union is Maine’s 5th largest credit union, with over $564 million in assets and over 30,000 members across Maine’s 6 southern counties. Start with Evergreen at egcu.org.

Evergreen Credit Union was voted Windham Eagle’s #1 Credit Union.

GORHAM, ME — The USM Department of Theatre launches its 2024-2025 mainstage season with Kimberly Belflower’s bitingly funny and moving John Proctor is the Villain from November 6th to 10th at Russell Hall on the USM Gorham Campus.

At a rural high school in Georgia, a group of lively teens are studying The Crucible while navigating relationships, sex ed, and a few scandals. Holding a contemporary lens to the American classic, they begin to question who is really the hero and what is the truth, discovering their own power in the process. Alternately touching and bitingly funny, this drama captures a generation in mid-transformation, fueled by pop music, running alternately on optimism and rage, writing their own coming of age story.

For director and USM Theatre Department Chair, this show couldn’t be more timely, “Kimberly Belflower has managed to use this iconic work of The Crucible to set the stage for the problems we continue to address in our culture around the dynamics of power and gender.” She says that Belflower is a new voice for a new age, and has deftly “tackled difficult material via use of another American play that is problematically held up as an iconic American work (The Crucible).

USM Theatre students have had to tackle the show’s difficult topics head-on, but the process has been a rewarding one. Valentine says, “This play presents big issues that our student performers have had to grapple with as they portray characters in this play, including topics such as abusive relationships, consent, sex, power. But there is also a lot of hope in this show. It is a drama, but it is not a tragedy. Difficult subject matter can have moments of levity, and at the end of the day, this is a play about community and uplifting.”

To encourage community conversation around the show’s themes, the USM Department of Theatre will be hosting a talkback with Speak About It, a consent education and sexual assault prevention non-profit based in Maine, following the Thursday, November 7th, performance. All are welcome.

John Proctor is the Villain runs November 6th-10th at Russell Hall on the USM Gorham campus.

Content Advisory:

John Proctor is the Villain explores difficult themes including a brief depiction of forced physical contact and discussions of sexual exploitation. It is recommended for high school students and older. If you have questions about the content of the show, please contact us at usmtheatreboxoffice@maine.edu.

Performances:

Thursday, November 7 – 7pm (Featuring a talkback with Speak About It)

Friday, November 8 – 7pm

Saturday, November 9 – 7pm

Sunday, November 10 – 2pm

Ticket Information

Ticket prices: $8-$18

Special pricing for schools and community groups

Pay-What-You-Can: Thursday, November 7th, 7pm

For more info and to purchase tickets, visit USM Theatre at https://usm.maine.edu/department-theatre/box-office-tickets/ or call the USM Theatre Box Office at (207) 780-5151.

To bring a school or community group, contact Audiences Services & Outreach Coordinator, Janice Gardner at janice.gardner@maine.edu. 

Those needing special accommodations to participate fully in this program, contact Janice Gardner at (207)780-5289 or janice.gardner@maine.edu. Hearing impaired: call USM’s telex/TDD number (207)780-5646

Cast of John Proctor is the Villain in a recent rehearsal. Photo by Kat Moraros Photography

GORHAM, ME — Join us on December 1st for our annual Light Parade & Tree Lighting!

Watch the parade along route Rt.25 & South St and/or enjoy our festivities at the Gazebo at the Municipal Center including reindeer games and holiday treats! Fun and games start at 2:30pm!

Line up for parade begins at Noonan’s at 3:30pm

Parade Leaves at approximately 4:30 pm from Noonan’s and arrives Robie Park at approximately 5:00pm

Light parade route: Main Street/Rt 25 to South St. to Morrill Ave. to Ball Park Road around Robie Park and High School.

Ball Park Road will be closed to traffic from 4:15 until 6:00pm. Please use Access Rd.

To Register for the Parade please send an email to Zachary Lambert at zlambert@gorham.me.us with you name, company name, and what vehicle type you will have in the parade

WESTBROOK, ME – Tomorrow, Friday November 8, it’s the third monthly COMEDY SITUATION SHOW at Westbrook’s Frog & Turtle, 7:30PM (the first 2 have been packed!).

Only $10, for top shelf headliner act ALEX GIAMPAPA from Boston, and feature act TROY BURDITT, also from Boston.

Excellent standup and great food & drink in a cozy, comfortable restaurant showroom.

BRUNSWICK, ME – The Brunswick High School Players (BHS Players) is pleased to announce their fall play, Pride and Prejudice by Joseph Hanreddy and J.R. Sullivan. The show will be performed on Thursday, November 14th through Saturday, November 16th in Crooker Theater at Brunswick High School. Shows will be at 7:00 PM on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and 2:00 PM on Saturday.

Step into the world of Pride and Prejudice and experience a tale of love, wit, and societal expectations. Follow Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy as they navigate misunderstandings, pride, and prejudice in this timeless story.

Directed by Linda Gardiner, with Producer Michael Millett, the play has a cast and crew of over 30 students from grades 9-12. In addition to daily rehearsals, the cast and crew, along with volunteers, have been busy creating all the set pieces and props for the show. Don’t miss this timeless classic brought to life on stage!

Tickets are available in advance online and at the door (subject to availability) for $17 for adults, $15 for seniors and $12 for students.

Produced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc. (www.playscripts.com).

FMI and tickets visit the BHS Players website: