Windham’s abundant parks, trails, lakes, and outdoor amenities continue to shape its identity as a destination for nature lovers. As part of the town’s ongoing effort to elevate its profile among outdoor recreation enthusiasts, new digital kiosks will soon be installed to highlight local fresh‑air activities and natural attractions.
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| New digital kiosks promoting Windham outdoor recreation facilities and displaying community announcements, weather-related trail updates, events and links to social media will be installed soon at Windham Town Hall, Donnabeth Lippman Park and Lowell Preserve. The project is funded through a Community Outdoor Recreation Assistance Grant from the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development. SUBMITTED PHOTO |
“Once the kiosks arrive and have been installed, we will be spreading the word so that people can check them out when they head to one of the three locations,” said Windham Parks and Recreation Director Linda Brooks.
The project is funded through a Community Outdoor Recreation Assistance Grant from the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development. Windham received $163,750 to support this and other components of the Windham Outdoors initiative, with no local match required.
Windham Outdoors is jointly led by the Parks and Recreation Department, the Windham Economic Development Corporation, and Communications Director Roger Cropley. The mission of the Windham Outdoors initiative “is to connect residents and visitors with outdoor spaces that inspire healthy living, community engagement, and a deeper appreciation of our town’s resources,” he said.
According to Brooks, one side of each kiosk will feature a map of all outdoor recreation facilities in town, complete with QR codes linking visitors to the Windham Outdoors website. The opposite side will include four digital screens capable of displaying community announcements, weather‑related trail updates, event promotions, and links to social media.
Brooks said the digital format will allow the town to keep information current and relevant. “In addition to providing information specific to Windham residents – such as town council meetings or community updates – we can also share details that may interest visitors, like Food Truck Nights, the Summer Concert Series, the Farmers Market, or places to shop, dine, or play.”
She said that the new kiosks will replace traditional wooden kiosks, which are difficult to keep updated. Electronic displays will make it far easier to refresh messaging across the town’s parks and trailheads.
“The kiosks are a promotional tool designed to keep visitors informed about everything available to them,” Brooks said. “Many people using our parks and trails are from outside the region, and we want to take every opportunity to showcase what Windham has to offer. The Mountain Division Trail, East Windham Conservation Area, Lowell Preserve, Donnabeth Lippman Park, and Dundee Park are major draws and have helped put Windham on the map within Maine’s tourism industry.”
Before the kiosks, one of the first steps in building the Windham Outdoors brand was launching https://windhamoutdoors.com/ which features information on parks, trails, activities, events, restaurants, and lodging opportunities.
Windham aims to position itself as a regional hub for outdoor recreation, Cropley said, and the Windham Outdoors initiative is central to that vision. “
As we continue to build the Windham Outdoors brand, we want to enhance our outdoor facilities to improve the visitor experience and gather data that will guide future decisions,” he said.
Cropley says that attracting more outdoor enthusiasts will support the local economy. Outdoor recreation accounts for 3.7 percent of Maine’s economy, making it the sixth‑highest state in the nation for economic impact from outdoor activities. Visitors drawn to Windham’s natural assets often spend money at local restaurants, theaters, lodging, and at other businesses. These businesses can provide incentives via Windham Outdoors that may encourage people to stay longer and spend more.
Additional communication tools are also in development. Brooks said that the town is working on a free app that will help park and trail users access information about amenities, trail lengths, playgrounds, picnicking areas, fishing and boating options, and more.
Meanwhile, Cropley continues to develop new promotional materials to strengthen Windham’s reputation as an outdoor destination. <
