Varney's Bridge reopens in Windham following replacement

By Ed Pierce

The contractor replacing Varney's Bridge in Windham has completed work about three weeks ahead of schedule and the bridge has been reopened.

Construction to replace Varney's Bridge on
William Knight Road over the Pleasant River
in Windham has been completed three weeks
ahead of schedule and the bridge has been
reopened. Work to demolish and replace the
aging 26-foot steel girder bridge began there
on June 15. PHOTO BY KEITH MANK

Wyman & Simpson, Inc. started work to demolish and replace the 26-foot steel girder bridge on William Knight Road over the Pleasant River on June 15. Work on the bridge was expected to last until Oct. 13 but was finished last week.

While making repairs on the bridge in 2015, engineers from the Maine Department of Transportation recommended that the town explore options for closing or replacing the bridge because of ongoing structural deterioration. MaineDOT engineers reported that capacity issues and faster and heavier loads stressed this type of bridge past its original design parameters.

Typically, steel girder bridges can be more expensive than other types of bridges because of the rising cost of materials and for construction and this type of bridge may not be suitable for very heavy loads and may not be able to support the weight of heavy vehicles. MaineDOT engineers found issues with the bridge’s concrete abutments and reduced the allowable load to three tons.

That made it not possible for construction trucks, dump trucks, garbage trucks, and other large vehicles to cross the bridge because of the weight limitation. Town snowplows had to stop, turn around and go the other way due to their weight.

With concrete abutments supporting the old steel bridge structure, scouring from the river caused erosion where the concrete touched the Pleasant River water degraded the bridge’s safety. There was also rusting on the steel supports which need to be replaced.

Varney’s Bridge was originally built in 1950 and it had been upgraded and repaired many times over the past three decades with its structural issues persisting and continuing to worsen. In 2021 members of the Windham Town Council voted to replace the existing bridge with the most cost-effective method to ensure the safety of the community upon the recommendation of the town manager. At the Annual Windham Town Meeting in June 2021, Windham residents approved spending $25,000 for a study at the Annual Town Meeting about how to best move forward to replace the aging structure.

The study was completed in the summer of 2022, and the results were forwarded to the MaineDOT. Using the MaineDOT Bridge Program Design Guide, a preliminary design report was created and mandated that any other survey work needed to define right-of-way and bridge layout and alignment be performed and any geotechnical engineering evaluations required to design a new bridge support structure be initiated.

In January 2023, the new Maine DOT Three-Year Plan for upcoming projects by state crews was released. MaineDOT authorized $1.5 million in funding for the $2.2 million project with the town picking up the remaining $700,000 for the project.

The Town of Windham then developed preliminary and final design plans in accordance with MaineDOT standards and requirements. Those design plans included a specific plan for the project, a bridge profile including cross-sections and geometry for approach design, design computations, load ratings, and evaluation information for the new structure meeting MaineDOT specifications. All of that included development of an engineering estimate of construction costs and creating a final plan for review by the state. 

At Windham’s Annual Town Meeting in June 2023, a warrant item was approved by voters to contribute $700,000 to complete the bridge replacement project. MaineDOT also conducted and documented quality control design checks and provided engineering support during the competitive bidding process and any other additional services as was requested by the town.

Windham Town Councilors put the project out to bidding in November 2025 and awarded the project to Wyman & Simpson, Inc. for the town’s portion of costs in general obligation bond funding for replacing Varney’s Bridge. Seven bids had been submitted to replace the bridge.

When the bridge work started in June 2026 it was estimated at the time it could take up to 120 days to complete. The reconstruction work required a full road closure on William Knight Road and local detours were put in place for traffic and emergency vehicles.

The bridge was reopened to the public on Sept. 17. <

Windham Business Gathering to discuss sewers, Route 302 project and proposed community center

By Ed Pierce

A Windham Business Gathering hosted by the Windham Economic Development Corporation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30 at Erik’s Church in Windham.

A MaineDOT map shows improvements planned for a 
portion of Routes 302, 35 and 115 in North Windham.
It is one of three topics to be discussed at a Windham 
Business Gathering at Erik's Church on Sept. 30
hosted by the Windham Economic Development
Corporation. COURTESY PHOTO 

Among items of interest to be discussed at the gathering are the new sewer project in Windham, the Route 302 Project, and the proposed community center complex at Windham Middle School.

A cash bar and hot and cold hors d’oeuvres will be available.

Eric Gigure, WEDC president, Mark Morrison, Windham Town Council chair, and Robert Burns, Windham Town Manager will make remarks about the projects.

There will also be a Question-and-Answer session with members of the Windham Town Council and Windham Economic Development Corporation members.

ROUTE 302 PROJECT

According to the Maine Department of Transportation, the planned Route 302 Project in North Windham will improve a dangerous and inefficient highway bottleneck, improve safety and efficiency for motorists and active transportation users in Windham and provide more uniform accessibility to employment and retail as well as tourism and recreation critical to Maine’s economy.

It involves redesigning about 9,000 feet of Route 302 from River Road to White’s Bridge Road in Windham to improve safety, mobility, and efficiency. The project will add three new connector routes behind the town’s commerce center in North Windham to ease congestion on Route 302 while also making improvements to Routes 35 and 115 to improve safety, mobility, and efficiency.

The work will replace aging traffic signals with new smart signals and make road improvements aimed at benefiting pedestrians and bicyclists by constructing 11,700 feet of new multi-use pathways. All work is expected to be completed by 2030.

MaineDOT first entered into a working partnership in 2019 with the Town of Windham to alleviate traffic congestion on Route 302. In 2022, the state and the town collaborated on a transportation planning and feasibility study called North Windham Moves: Regional Mobility, Local Access.

State transportation officials obtained a RAISE grant in 2023 of $25 million for the project. The total project cost, including design, engineering, right of way and construction costs is $31.25 million. MaineDOT and the Town of Windham will equally split the 20 percent total project cost match of $6.25 million.

Besides congestion, the project area had seven high-crash locations (HCLs) in the three-year period from 2018 to 2020 alone and MaineDOT staff say the project will assist in reducing crashes and injuries in a commercial area that has grown rapidly around outdated safety features or no safety features at all.

The East Connector Road will be a total of .67 miles and consists of building a local roadway at the eastern terminal of Franklin Drive and extending south to Route 115. It includes intersection connections with Veterans Memorial Drive and Sandbar Road. 

The West Connector Road will be a total of 1.01 miles and consists of building a local roadway beginning at the north terminus of Manchester Drive and extending North about .55 miles to Whites Bridge Road. It includes intersection connections with Landing Road, Amato Drive and Trails End Road.

The existing intersection of Manchester Drive and Route 35 will receive improvements, including a new traffic signal.

The Middle Connector Road will be .14 miles and consists of building a local roadway beginning at the Franklin Drive and the Route 302 intersections and extending southwesterly to Landing Road about 755 feet.

SEWER PROJECT

Plans were approved by Windham voters in a special referendum in June 2022 for a new sewer project that included construction of a public wastewater system and the removal of about 100 septic systems that were discharging into the North Windham aquifer. Because of the lack of an effective sewer system in North Windham, over the years contaminants have continued to pollute the aquifer, threatening surrounding ponds and lakes, and stifling economic growth.

In addition, for the past two decades increasing nitrate levels have been observed in the underlying aquifer that threatened local water resources including Sebago Lake. Current levels of nitrates in the groundwater have exceeded drinking water standards. Septic system pollution entering the aquifer directly impacts surrounding valuable water resources, and this new wastewater treatment plant addresses the issue before the problem escalated and became irreversible.

The wastewater treatment plant is expected to remove 25,000 pounds of nitrogen and phosphorus pollutants each year being dumped by septic systems into the aquifer and watershed. The installation of sewers is expected to stimulate significant economic growth in Windham and lead to development in the area by industries and businesses not willing to locate here because of associated septic system issues and costs.

COMMUNITY CENTER REFERENDUM

Windham voters will be asked on Nov. 3 to approve issuing general obligation bonds up to $19.5 million in a referendum to finance the costs of rehabilitating the Windham Middle School for use as a community center and moving the Windham Public Library and Town of Windham municipal offices there. It includes the costs of design, engineering, professional services, site preparation, construction, renovation, operating costs, and other improvements and furnishings as may be required in connection with the project. The proposal includes appropriating up to $2 million of the town’s fund balance as the Town Council deems reasonable and necessary to reduce the borrowing amount and directly pay for costs of the project.

As part of the referendum to obtain $131.7 million in state funding to build a new middle school for students in Windham and Raymond, RSU 14 voters agreed in 2023 that the existing Windham Middle School could not be used as a school again, since the state had already contributed funding for substantial repair costs over decades of the building’s use. In formulating the proposal as to how best to repurpose the WMS building, WMS Repurpose Advisory worked with an architect and design team and toured the Westbrook and Gorham Community Centers to see how those towns adapted old school buildings for community center facilities.

Determining that the basic structure of the school was sound and that it offered 80,000 square feet of available space, the committee looked at the existing town buildings with long-term replacement costs and short-term maintenance, parking improvements and repair costs and decided that a number of municipal services could be relocated to the site for a fraction of the cost of renovating or replacing current buildings.

To RSVP to attend the Windham Business Gathering, send an email to [email protected] <

25th anniversary tribute recalls 9-11 accounts of heroism

By Ed Pierce

It’s been a quarter of a century since the terrorist attacks on America on 9-11, but it’s something that continues to haunt many people locally and led American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 to create an anniversary tribute and day of remembrance in Windham on Friday, Sept. 11.

Yvonne Johnson of American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 was
the emcee and organizer of an event recalling the tragic events
of 9-11, lives lost during the terrorist attacks on America and 
the bravery of first responders held at the Windham Veterans
Center on Friday, Sept. 11. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

Created and organized by Post 148 Second Vice Commander Yvonne Johnson, the gathering at the Windham Veterans Center featured guest speakers, Windham public safety leaders and emotional stories of canine rescues and lost lives.

Johnson introduced Post 148 Commander Tom Theriault who described in detail events that led to nearly 3,000 Americans perishing in terrorist-hijacked flights used as guided missiles to strike the World Trade Center Towers in New York City and at The Pentagon in Washington, D.C. while another hijacked flight crashed after passengers fought back over the skies of Pennsylvania.

Windham Fire-Rescue Chief Brent Libby and Windham Police Captain Jason Burke discussed firefighters and police officers who gave their lives attempting to save those trapped in buildings struck by the terrorists.

In all a total of six Mainers died on 9-11 including one serving in the military at The Pentagon and five who were aboard planes that were hijacked that day.

During the tribute, K-9 officers and their police handlers from Windham, Gorham and Westbrook stood by while Johnson related to the audience the story of K-9 Trakr, a German Shepherd police dog from Canada who helped search for survivors at Ground Zero after the 9-11 attacks.

“Trakr was handled by Canadian police officer James Symington and helped locate Genelle Guzman-McMillan, who was trapped under the rubble as the last living survivor from the South Tower 27 hours after the towers fell,” Johnson said.

In 2008, seven years after the tragedy, Symington won a contest to clone the dog, resulting in the birth of five puppy Trakr clones in 2009, Johnson said.

She then presented pins and medals for the local K-9 and their handlers in memory of K-9 Trakr and New York Port Authority K-9 Sirius, whose remains were found in 2002 in the wreckage of the World Trade Center’s South Tower after his handler had been injured and hospitalized in the collapse of the North Tower.

“The valor of K-9 Sirius reminds us he will never be forgotten,” Johnson said.

Freeport Deputy Fire Chief Luke Vashon told the story of how the town applied for and was able to obtain steel beams from the collapse of the World Trade Center towers.

Vashon said it took three years from the time Freeport applied to a dedication ceremony once the beams were transported to the town in September 2011.

The 9-11 memorial is at the Public Safety Building in Freeport, and everyone is welcome to visit, he said.

Major General Bill Libby of Old Orchard Beach was serving as commander of the Maine National Guard on Sept. 11, 2001, when the governor at the time, now U.S. Senator Angus King, sought his guidance about how to best keep the state safe on 9-11.

“Gov. King took swift action and closed the capitol,” General Libby told the audience at the 9-11 tribute event. “He activated the state’s Emergency Operations Center.”

He shared a story about the Maine Air Guard, who happened to be flying a mission that day over the New Jersey coast. After the attacks, the crew was ordered to help refuel military aircraft over New York City. 

“Our lives have changed significantly in reaction to the events of that day,” the general said. “During the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, we lost 56 Mainers.”

He said that with each passing year following the terrorist attacks on 9-11, he has come to realize that the aftermath was equally as important as the attacks themselves when Americans unified as one to overcome the tragedies and rebuild their lives.

“I commemorate 9-11 every year but celebrate 9-12,” General Libby said. “We need to find the spirit of 9-12 again in this country.”

Windham Police Chief Kevin Schofield and Windham Fire-Rescue Chief Brent Libby placed a wreath in the Windham Veterans Center garden for the observance.

Members of Legion Post 148’s Honor Guard fired a 21-gun salute, and it was followed by the playing of “Taps” by Post 148 bugler Randy Kitano and a benediction by Chaplain Cheryl Guddy of the Department of Maine American Legion. <

    

Committee recommends council rename recreation sites as ‘Windham Community Forest’

By Ed Pierce

The steering committee overseeing the East Windham Conservation Area and Lowell Preserve has recommended to the Windham Town Council that the sites be renamed as the Windham Community Forest.

Two conserved outdoor recreation properties in Windham,
including the East Windham Conservation Area and
Lowell Preserve, are expected to be renamed as the
Windham Community Forest by the Windham Town
Council during a meeting on Sept. 22.
COURTESY PHOTO
   

In January, town councilors established the East Windham Steering Committee to guide the process of creating a vision and management plan for the combined parcels of the East Windham Conservation Area (700 acres) and the Lowell Preserve (300 acres) and to provide ongoing oversight of the maintenance of operation of the sites. One of the tasks of the committee was to “seek public input and recommend a new name that unifies the shared character and use of property” which is jointly managed by the Town of Windham and Presumpscot Regional Land Trust.

The East Windham Conservation Area opened to the public in 2024, and Lowell Preserve opened in 2000. Committee members brainstormed potential names and included them in a FlashVote survey for Windham residents in August with Windham Community Forest receiving the most votes.

The preserved site is part of a 2,000-acre conservation corridor and larger than any state park in Southern Maine. A connecting 30-mile trail network links the Windham outdoor recreational sites with the North Falmouth Community Forest and Blackstrap Hill Preserve owned and maintained by Falmouth Land Trust. It is also the largest wildlife habitat, clean water, and recreational trail corridor in Greater Portland.

The Windham Town Council is expected to approve the new Windham Community Forest name for the sites during its meeting on Sept. 22.

East Windham Conservation Area

With nearly 10 miles of multi-use trails and hilly and forested terrain, the East Windham Conservation Area is a mix of hardwood trees and offers scenic views of the White Mountains and Little Duck Pond with three main trails running throughout the property.

Funding to create the area was about $3.7 million and included a $1 million grant from the Land for Maine’s Future initiative. In 2021, voters from Windham approved a $1.8 million conservation bond using open space impact fees and another $400,000 raised privately from public donations. A Land and Water Conservation Fund federal grant for $500,000 was obtained to pay for the infrastructure improvements at the site.

In June 2022, Windham residents voted during the Annual Town Meeting to allow the town to enter a partnership with Presumpscot Regional Land Trust to purchase and conserve 661 acres near Little Duck Pond in East Windham. The project acquired the forested acreage for recreational opportunities in Windham while also adding 1,545 feet of undeveloped water frontage on Little Duck Pond, the 150-acre Deer Wintering Area for hunting, and Atherton Hill.

The site includes Atherton Hill, which at nearly 600 feet, is the largest hill in Windham. It also features 2,000 feet of frontage along Little Duck Pond and 1,500 feet of pristine headwater streams that lead to Forest Lake, Highland Lake, and onto the Presumpscot River and an excellent wild brook trout habitat. Lowell Preserve, a 300-acre site owned by the town and for which the Presumpscot Regional Land Trust holds a conservation easement, is adjacent and includes an additional five miles of multi-use trails. The area offers programming opportunities for school and afterschool groups and creates an accessible one-mile trail for people of all ages to walk, push a stroller, and bike to visit Little Duck Pond.

Lowell Preserve

With eight miles of trails, ranging from moderate to difficult, through scenic forest, Lowell Preserve offers 308 acres to explore with interesting forest views, topography, and geology. The views change with the seasons as some areas are dominated by evergreen hemlock while beech, maple, or oak are more prevalent in others. There are both permanent and intermittent streams within the preserve that run in the valleys of the gradual hills. Unlike many other preserves, rocks are plentiful ranging from exposed ledges to smaller exposed stones to large glacial boulders in interesting granite formations near the trails.

It is a diverse network that accommodates multiple outdoor recreational activities, from hiking and mountain biking to horseback riding and use by ATVs.

The McIntosh Brook runs through the preserve and there are many areas with gradual inclines. <

Windham racer fulfills dream of winning Oxford 250

By Ed Pierce

Since he was a small child, Brandon Barker of Windham has been dreaming about winning the Oxford 250 auto race and he made that dream a reality by winning the 53rd annual Nitro Trailers Oxford 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway on Aug. 30.

Brandon Barker of Windham, 29, won the 53rd
annual Nitro Trailers Oxford 250 auto race at
Oxford Plains Speedway on Aug. 30, fulfilling
a dream he had held of winning that title since 
he was a small child. COURTESY PHOTO 

Following a near three-hour rain delay Barker, 29, in his Super Late Model Car No. 88, outlasted second-place finisher Johnny Clark and Joey Doiron in third place to claim the prestigious Oxford 250 title.

“We have focused on Oxford this year to prepare for the bigger races like the Oxford 250,” Barker said. “To win the Oxford 250 took a great car, a good strategy and a great team.”

This was Barker’s ninth attempt to win the Oxford 250, and through the years, he’s described the race as similar to winning the Daytona 500 for drivers from New England.

Barker started this year’s Oxford 250 race in fifth position and slowly moved up to second before rain forced a lengthy delay at about the race’s mid-point. He took over first place when leader Gabe Brown made a pit stop and held the lead for the next 50 laps. With just 65 laps left, DJ Shaw seized the lead, but taking a pit stop for fresh tires with 45 laps left to go, Barker made up ground on a restart and went wide moving from ninth to third. He held strong and was able to take the lead for good and hold off Clark and Doiron down the stretch.

His start in racing came when Barker was 5 years old and about to turn 6 in 2003 at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway’s go-karting series in Scarborough. His grandfather obtained a couple of go-karts for Barker and his cousin to race there, and it prompted Barker to go on and pursue an auto racing career outside of his day job working for the Maine Turnpike Authority.

Taking the checkered flag in the Oxford 250 is another accomplishment in Barker’s career. Back in 2023, he joined the late Dale Earnhardt and DJ Kennington as being the only racers to win in their first American Canadian Tour start when he came in first in the Governor’s Cup 150 race at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, New Hampshire, beating 24 other racers.

This year alone, Barker has won five different races but winning the Oxford 250 stands out for him because it’s a flat track.

‘I think flat tracks are the toughest tracks to get a handle on and if you do, you go to places with banking because it helps your car’s handling,” he said. “If you’re good at the flat tracks you can usually go anywhere and be competitive.”

To reach this point in his racing career, Barker is grateful for support he’s had from other Windham racers such as Brad Babb and Bobby Timmons.

“They’re all older than me so they were always a step ahead and I looked up to them and asked advice from them,” he said. “Whether it was good advice or not seems to have worked out.”

Barker can be found nearly every weekend racing Super Late Models at events in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina and his sponsors include Landshark Performance, Sam Snow Construction, GoFas Racing with Archie, Maietta Towing, DLM Excavation, NLM Custom Homes, and RPM racing engines.

“I race on the Pro All Star series for Sam Snow, the Granite State Pro stock series, and the NASCAR weekly series Pro stocks at Lee USA Speedway for Archie St. Hilare and a few American Canadian Tour Late Models for Chad Sullivan,” he said. 

Among his biggest fans are his wife, Sara, who has a brother and father who also race cars, and she is used to the competitive aspect of the sport and tries to attend as many of Barker’s races whenever possible, and the couple’s 21-month-old son Bentley.

Winning the Oxford 250 checks off one of Barker’s long-standing goals and is especially meaningful to him.

“It’s something I had hoped to accomplish in my racing career before I am finished,” he said. “It’s one of my favorite races and one of the biggest races in the country. <

Town of Windham to receive $80K Community Action Grant

By Ed Pierce

Windham will receive an $80,000 Community Action Grant from the Community Resilience Partnership to support a residential preparedness program focused on emergency readiness, energy efficiency and connecting residents with services.

Windham will receive an $80,000 Community Action Grant
from the Community Resilience Partnership of Maine to
support a residential preparedness program focused on
emergency readiness, energy efficiency and connecting
residents with resources during severe storms and flooding.
PHOTO BY KEITH MANK  

The Community Resilience Partnership, administered by the Maine Office of Community Affairs, helps Maine communities to lower energy costs, reduce emissions and prepare for climate effects such as severe storms, flooding, extreme temperatures and public health risks.

Starting in 2024, Maine kicked off awarding $69 million in climate resilience grants, funded through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Resilience Regional Challenge. The grants represent one of the largest investments in climate resilience ever in Maine history. Maine was one of 10 states to share a total of $575 million in Federal funding for climate resilience authorized through the Inflation Reduction Act.

Over the next five years, Maine will implement three integrated climate resilience-building strategies that advance the recommendations outlined in Maine Won't Wait (PDF), Maine’s Climate Action Plan, and collectively build the capacity of underserved, rural, and Tribal communities. Strategies include building enduring community resiliency, reducing climate impacts through nature-based solutions and investments in green infrastructure and strengthening the resilience of working waterfronts.

Windham’s Residential Preparedness Program was developed in conjunction with Age-Friendly Windham and is intended to connect residents with energy and emergency preparedness coaches and other services that can address immediate needs and strengthen long-term resilience.

In announcing that Windham would receive the Community Action Grant, State Senator Tim Nangle of Windham pointed out that preparation before an emergency can make all the difference.

“This grant will give Windham residents practical, trusted help to address immediate needs, find ways to make their homes more energy efficient and prepare for severe weather,” Nangle said. “I’m grateful to the town, Age-Friendly Windham and all the local partners who worked together to build a program around what residents actually need.”

He said that funding for this initiative comes from both state and federal sources, including state general funds authorized by the Maine Legislature and a five-year Climate Resilience Regional Challenge grant awarded to the State of Maine by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration two years ago.

The Community Action Grants were made available through the Community Resilience Partnership, a program established by Gov. Janet Mills in 2021 to support local governments in undertaking projects that increase resilience to climate effects and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Community Resilience Partnership has grown to include 308 towns, cities, and tribal governments representing 81 percent of Maine’s population. So far, the program has funded more than $29 million for projects in 305 different communities across the state.

“Investing in stronger infrastructure and energy efficiency helps communities withstand and recover faster from severe storms, saving money and easing pressure on local property taxpayers,” Mills said. “I’m proud that my Administration’s Community Resilience Partnership has invested more than $29 million to empower hundreds of Maine communities to strengthen their resilience and secure a strong future for generations of future residents.”

Samantha Horn, the Director of the Maine Office of Community Affairs, says the Community Action Grants are making a difference.

“Maine communities are proposing innovative and forward-looking projects that will increase their resilience and save tax dollars in the future,” Horn said. “The Maine Office of Community Affairs is pleased to be able to offer this easy-to-access funding to support them.”

Municipal officials greatly appreciate the Community Resilience Partnership’s commitment to supporting and investing in initiatives that advance the State’s policy priorities,” said Catherine Conlow, Executive Director of the Maine Municipal Association.

“The fact that the most recent round of Community Action Grants will support 26 projects submitted by first-time municipal applicants demonstrates the Office’s dedication to making this valuable program accessible to communities of all sizes and capacities across Maine, and its willingness to meet municipal leaders and residents where they are,” Conlow said.

Celina Cunningham, Acting Commissioner of the Department of Energy Resources, says that investments such as these in energy efficiency, local clean energy projects, and community resilience can help lower energy costs and make taxpayer dollars go further.

“At a time when global energy prices have been volatile, these grants are helping towns and municipalities reduce energy use, strengthen critical facilities, and deliver savings for local residents and businesses,” Cunningham said. <

North Windham Wastewater Treatment Plant launches operations

By Ed Pierce

It’s been four years since Windham voters first approved creating the North Windham Wastewater Treatment project to the new plant becoming fully operational, but late last month that milestone event took place.

The new North Windham Wastewater Treatment Plant is now
fully operational on the grounds of Manchester School in
Windham. It is designed to remove 25,000 pounds of
nitrogen and phosphorus pollutants each year being
dumped by septic systems into the aquifer and watershed.
COURTESY PHOTO  

Windham Town Engineer Mark Arienti has informed members of the Windham Town Council and the Windham Town Manager that the wastewater treatment facility, located on the Manchester School grounds, is now up and running.

Plans were approved by Windham voters in a special referendum in June 2022 that included construction of a public wastewater system, and it will result in the removal of about 100 septic systems that were discharging into the North Windham aquifer. Because of the lack of an effective sewer system in North Windham, over the years contaminants have continued to pollute the aquifer, threatening surrounding ponds and lakes, and stifling economic growth.

In addition, for the past two decades increasing nitrate levels have been observed in the underlying aquifer that threatened local water resources including Sebago Lake. Current levels of nitrates in the groundwater have exceeded drinking water standards. Septic system pollution entering the aquifer directly impacts surrounding valuable water resources, and this new wastewater treatment plant addresses the issue before the problem escalated and became irreversible.

The wastewater treatment plant is expected to remove 25,000 pounds of nitrogen and phosphorus pollutants each year being dumped by septic systems into the aquifer and watershed. The installation of sewers is expected to stimulate significant economic growth in Windham and lead to development in the area by industries and businesses not willing to locate here because of associated septic system issues and costs.

Through an agreement reached between RSU 14 and the Town of Windham, in exchange for locating the new wastewater treatment site at Manchester School, the town has created four new playing fields for youth sports at the school. RSU 14 will also be able to shift its wastewater treatment operations at Windham High School to the new facility.

The new plant uses Membrane Bio-Reactor technology with innovative drip dispersal and will be the first system to use drip dispersal of this scale in Maine. This technology is designed to improve the quality of local groundwater and local waterways, and was chosen for its reliability, flexibility, and overall cost effectiveness for operation.

The contractor building the plant installed influent screens and bubble diffuser equipment for the biological nutrient removal (BNR) and sludge tanks. MBR, BNR and sludge blowers were completed in December and the installation of the membranes that will be used to remove the suspended solids was completed in February. Construction crews also built a control shed for the Manchester Drive pump station with a wet well, valve vault and pumps all having been installed, as well as concrete pads for the shed.

Last December, the sewer rate for the new North Windham Sewer District was established by the Windham Town Council at $16 per 100 cubic feet.

Earlier this year, Windham Town Manager Robert Burns said that because the entire sewer system and wastewater treatment plant will operate at first far below capacity, Windham will use TIF funds to buy down the sewer rate, preventing early users, mostly businesses initially, from bearing the full operational cost. He said Windham expects to raise $1.3 million with a TIF subsidy during the first year of operation for the wastewater treatment plant and sewer system.

The cost of the project was $48 million for the new wastewater treatment plant, new sewer lines and connections to individual properties and businesses around Boody’s Corner as well as to some multi-family residential buildings and a few single-family homes in the area. The new Windham Raymond Middle School will connect to the treatment plant when the school opens.

A Clean Water State Revolving Fund subsidized loan, including $3.25 million in grant capacity will be used to pay for the project, according to Portland Water District Engineering & Asset Management Services. The project also received several million dollars in grants from Environmental Prevention Agency Congressional-directed spending, as well as from Cumberland County and town American Rescue Plan Act funding. 

According to Burns, residential property taxes will not be used to pay back the loan. Instead, he said, it will be paid back using Tax Increment Finance District funds.

Now that the wastewater plant is fully operational, the town has sent out information packages to businesses within the collection system corridor including sewer connection applications, access agreements to allow installation of piping and pumps on the properties, and guidance on what can and can’t be discharged to the sewer

Windham Economic Development Company Executive Director Tom Bartell said the new wastewater treatment plant in North Windham will benefit the town substantially.

“This investment is a foundational step in supporting increased residential and commercial density, improving environmental compliance, and enabling future development in the Route 302 corridor, which will strengthen the tax base and expand options for residents and businesses,” he said.

The plant began operations on Aug. 19.

Businesses that are discharging to the collection system right now include Shaws Plaza (Shaws, Staples, CVS, Town Fair Tire, and Pet Warehouse), Reny’s, Portland Pie, Hannaford, Windham Mall and Manchester School.

All of the businesses currently using the new system, except Manchester School, are discharging to the gravity collection lines that flow to the Portland Water District pumping station at corner of Manchester Drive and Route 35, which pumps it over to the treatment plant.

Manchester School discharges directly to the 15-inch sewer line that flows to the plant.

During the rest of this fall, the Town of Windham will be working to add more North Windham businesses to the sewer and wastewater treatment system. <

Roosevelt Trail History Tour hits road for second year

By Erin Rose

Members of the public are welcome to journey through history during the Second Annual Roosevelt Trail Historical Tour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12.

The public can tour the Raymond-Casco Historical Museum 
in Casco and other historical sites including some in
Windham during the Second Annual Roosevelt Trail 
Historical Tour running from Westbrook to Harrison
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12.
COURTESY PHOTO  

A dozen different historical sites, from Westbrook to Harrison, will be open for visitors to tour at no charge. Refreshments will also be available at some locations.

“There are some new sites for this year,” said Bill Brennan from the Raymond-Casco Historical Society. “We had eight last year, and we have 12 now.”

One of the new additions had hoped to join last year but was unable to welcome visitors for last year’s tour after moving into a new location at 214 Main St. in Bridgton and is excited to join the trail historical tour this year.

“The Bridgton Historical Society had just taken over the Methodist Church on Main St.,” Brennan said. “They had to back out two or three weeks before because they weren’t going to be ready.”

Another new site for visitors is the Bridgton and Saco River Railroad Museum, located on the first floor of the Bridgton Historical Society. The group is working to preserve the two-foot narrow gauge railroad that once ran throughout the Lakes Region.

“That’s also an exciting addition,” Brennan said. “They want to do new things, like being able to show how they lay railroad track.”

The event provides a chance for locals who may frequently drive past the historic sites in their day-to-day lives, but who may not have taken a chance to stop in.

“I’ve heard it a dozen times this summer; ‘I’ve never been to the Raymond Casco Historical Society. I’ve seen it on the road and I’ve never dropped in.’,” Brennan said. “People just don’t stop.”

Brennan said that he’s guilty of the same, despite frequent visits to Bridgton.

“I’ve driven through Bridgton and have stopped at the Cool Moose but never stopped at the Rufus Porter Museum,” he said. “I stopped last year and will be doing some of the other sites out west before coming east on that Saturday, just so I can see the Harrison Historical Society.”

The Harrison site, located at 121 Haskell Hill Road, is a new addition to the trail and has new displays this year, including details on notable local businesses, farming equipment, and a replica of a canal boat.

All of the organizations that had previously participated in the tour returned for the second annual event, after seeing a great increase in attendance on the day last year.

“After the event last year, everybody has come back because they had some of their best turnouts,” Brennan said. “Sometimes you’ll get five or ten people showing up on a weekend. Some people had 40, 50, 60 that day.”

A returning site is the Scribners Mill and Homestead at 244 Scribners Hill Road in Harrison. They have recently opened the homestead to visitors who can see how the Scribner family lived when the mill was in operation, in addition to the sawmill.

Brennan said that a recent visit to a more modern milling facility helped show how technology has changed aspects of woodworking.

“My family and I went to Hancock Lumber last summer, and we got a two- or three-hour tour,” he explained. “When you compare what they do there to what Scribners Mill does, it’s exactly the same thing, just in a different era and different technology. Where a guy is looking at a computer screen now, at Scribners, you had a guy there shaping it, doing whatever he could as best as he could with what he had.”

The Raymond-Casco Historical Society Museum will also be participating in the day for the second year and will have a blacksmith operating the museum’s 19th century Watkins Blacksmith Shop. The property, which includes a one-room schoolhouse and 19th century barn in addition to the museum, is located at 1 Shadow Lane in Casco.

The Naples Historical Society and Museum, at 19 Village Green in Naples, will be highlighting their restored jail located on the site, while a guide will be on site at the Quaker Ridge Meeting House from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., located at 141 Quaker Ridge Rd. in Casco. The meeting house, built in 1814, is the oldest such Quaker building in Maine that is still in use today.

The idea for the day was developed from a desire to find a unique way to draw new visitors to the different historical sites that dot the area.

“The Hawthorn Community Association, met with the Raymond-Casco Historical Society a day in March” last year, Brennan said. “We were all talking about how we could reinvigorate our museums and historical sites.”

“This idea popped up amongst us, as something we might try,” he added, noting that the group worked to find a date in the fall that would allow more residents to attend.

The different organizations all meet to develop ideas for each year’s event, and they all are hoping that this becomes a tradition in the vein of other community events.

“It’s a collective effort from all of us,” Brennan said. “We brainstorm together ideas and we’re all invested in this.”

“It’s the second annual and we’re proud of that,” he continued. “We want it to be like the Maple Syrup weekend or the Sebago Fishing Derby, where it gives our community the chance to come out and see us and experience the local history.”

One local organization praised Brennan and the Raymond-Casco Historical Society for their drive to make the event a reality.

“Their society was an integral part in getting this idea off the ground,” said Susan Simonson, President of Windham Historical Society. “Windham Historical Society is pleased to be a part of this unique idea.” For more information on the day and the different sites open for visitors, visit www.raymondcascohistoricalsociety.org <