If everything goes as expected, Windham could have a new pocket park by this fall.
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| A depiction is shown of the new Pine Grove Park to be built on a vacant town lot between the Forbes Lane and Misty Drive neighborhoods off Varney Mill Road in Windham with a Community Development Block Grant awarded to the town by Cumberland County. COURTESY PHOTO |
A pocket park is defined as a small park accessible to residents and the public which can be used for recreational purposes including picnic tables, benches, flower beds and greenery.
Councilors then established an ad hoc community committee to research and explore the development of a pocket park in the Forbes Lane and Misty Drive area. Committee members were asked to develop a concept plan for the 1.33-acre parcel with trails suitable for walking and biking to serve area residents and the public as well as optional picnic benches and recreational amenities suitably sized for the lot.
During a Windham Town Council meeting in May, committee members made recommendations to the town council for the project including a walking and biking path connecting surrounding neighborhoods, a small wooden playground area for children, picnic tables and benches, and open space for gathering and informal recreation.
Committee Chair Lindsay Conrad told the council that an online survey was conducted in February distributed door-to-door and publicized through social media and on the Town and Parks and Recreation Department's websites. That was followed by a community forum held that same month at Windham Town Hall. Feedback from those community tools along with discussions held by the committee resulted in the formulation of a concept plan for the new pocket park.
The committee was made up of six members who reside on Forbes Lane or Misty Drive; two Windham staff members; and a member of the Windham Town Council. Members included Conrad, Amie Earley, David Joy, Megan Potter, Steve Clauson, Tena Linsbeck-Perron, Windham employees Linda Brooks and Jason Hanken, and Windham Town Council Chair Mark Morrison.
Conrad thanked committee members for serving and helping to create recommendations for the new park.
“It was really important for us, the residents, to develop what this would look like,” Conrad said.
Windham Parks and Recreation Director Linda Brooks said the new pocket park will be a great addition for both the town and the Misty Drive and Forbes Lane neighborhoods.
“This project was definitely considered part of the Open Space Plan, and a goal of the Open Space Plan is to start developing these neighborhood parks,” Brooks said. “This is a great model to follow because these people are so invested in what’s coming into their neighborhood. I think we can already see they will be great stewards of what gets developed there.”
According to Conrad, the biggest issues that committee members tackled in creating recommendations for the park are a lack of privacy for neighbors whose property borders the park site, a desire to retain the wooded nature of the lot, and a lack of available parking.
She said to address that committee members recommended creating a 10-foot buffer around the property and determined that parking won’t be a significant problem because the park will be mostly used by people who live nearby and can walk there. As many trees as possible will be kept while installing the park.
Windham Assistant Town Manager Amanda Lessard said the development of Pine Grove Park does not exceed the threshold to require a Windham Planning Board site plan review.
“The Board of Appeals will need to review a conditional use application for the outdoor recreation facility prior to the installation of the play structure, hopefully at a ZBA meeting in August,” Lessard said. “The materials and equipment as recommended by the Committee have been ordered with installation expected in the fall. A grand opening celebration will be scheduled after installation.”
Once completed, the park will be maintained by the Windham Parks and Recreation Department. <
