BTLT in the News, “Topsham seeks funding for Head of Tide Park improvements”
Topsham seeks funding for Head of Tide Park improvements
By Alex Lear
July 23, 2019
Head of Tide Park is Topsham’s first waterfront park. The Park is located at the Cathance River’s head of tide, or the furthest upstream that the tide impacts the river and is home to a 15-foot waterfall, trail head, picnic pavilions, and hand-carry boat launch to access the lower, or tidal section of the river. The town of Topsham is hoping to improve this space, though, with better parking and a hand-carry boat launch.
The Portland Press Herald recently covered these proposed improvements in a story by Alex Lear.
The town is seeking $55,000 in grants from the state to improve parking and build a hand-carry boat launch at Head of Tide Park.
The Board of Selectmen on July 18 unanimously authorized Town Manager Rich Roedner to apply for the funding, which is available through the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands’ Boating Facilities Fund.
The total project would cost $73,000; $18,000, or 25%, would be provided by the town – $10,000 from the current budget and $8,000 from in-kind work by Public Works, according to Town Planner Rod Melanson.
The 12-acre Cathance River park, at 235 Cathance Road, is owned by the town and stewarded by the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust. It offers a 15-foot waterfall at the river’s highest tidal reach, hand-carry boat access on either side of the falls, a trailhead that connects to more than 7 miles of trails, and picnic and parking areas.
