Bug Light Park awaits FEMA funds (Printed June 23, 2007)
Posted by Sentry Editor at 6/28/2007 2:18 PM 
Categories: So Po News, Environment, Open Space, Public Safety
Categories: So Po News, Environment, Open Space, Public Safety
By Amanda Estes
Staff Writer
Regular visitors to South Portland’s Bug Light Park no doubt have noticed the park has yet to recover from damage sustained during the Patriots’ Day Nor’easter more than two months ago. With the April storm now a distant and unpleasant memory for most, visitors may also be wondering when the park will be restored to its normally scenic state. On Tuesday, municipal officials expected the city’s contracted engineering firm, Jacobs Edwards and Kelcey to have a damage assessment report ready to submit to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) within the next month.
According to Acting City Manager Jim Gailey, the park “took a beating” in the April storm. He said a pathway was washed away and there were several inches of gravel covering the entire parking lot. Immediately after the storm, the city took the “band-aid approach” and went in and cleaned up the debris.
Gailey said the storm pushed back several citywide projects that had been scheduled for April, May and early June.
“For three weeks after the storm, all public works did was pick up brush and pick up trash,” he said. With a small public works staff, he said the city might look at hiring a private contractor to reconstruct the park.
At this point, South Portland Director of Parks, Recreation and Public Works Dana Anderson said the park is “absolutely” safe for the visiting public.
Anderson said severe erosion eliminated all of the paths adjacent to the parking lot, but following the storm, crews went in to ensure the public could park safely and “at least walk somewhat safely to Bug Light itself.”
He said the engineers conducted a brief site walk with FEMA officials. At this point, the department does not know what the cost to repair and reconstruct the park will be, but Anderson said it would likely be more than $100,000.
“It is going to be quite significant in our opinion,” he said.
One area that the engineers will be looking at as they prepare their report is whether or not the park’s current riprap, or the large stones that protect the shore along the perimeter of the 8.78-acre park, provides enough protection against future storms. The report might determine a need to push the riprap back or replace it in some areas, Anderson said.
Gailey said the city has developed a “good working relationship” with FEMA and it is a good possibility that FEMA will reimburse the city for damages up to 75 percent and the city will be responsible for the remaining 25 percent.
Staff Writer
Regular visitors to South Portland’s Bug Light Park no doubt have noticed the park has yet to recover from damage sustained during the Patriots’ Day Nor’easter more than two months ago. With the April storm now a distant and unpleasant memory for most, visitors may also be wondering when the park will be restored to its normally scenic state. On Tuesday, municipal officials expected the city’s contracted engineering firm, Jacobs Edwards and Kelcey to have a damage assessment report ready to submit to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) within the next month.
According to Acting City Manager Jim Gailey, the park “took a beating” in the April storm. He said a pathway was washed away and there were several inches of gravel covering the entire parking lot. Immediately after the storm, the city took the “band-aid approach” and went in and cleaned up the debris.
Gailey said the storm pushed back several citywide projects that had been scheduled for April, May and early June.
“For three weeks after the storm, all public works did was pick up brush and pick up trash,” he said. With a small public works staff, he said the city might look at hiring a private contractor to reconstruct the park.
At this point, South Portland Director of Parks, Recreation and Public Works Dana Anderson said the park is “absolutely” safe for the visiting public.
Anderson said severe erosion eliminated all of the paths adjacent to the parking lot, but following the storm, crews went in to ensure the public could park safely and “at least walk somewhat safely to Bug Light itself.”
He said the engineers conducted a brief site walk with FEMA officials. At this point, the department does not know what the cost to repair and reconstruct the park will be, but Anderson said it would likely be more than $100,000.
“It is going to be quite significant in our opinion,” he said.
One area that the engineers will be looking at as they prepare their report is whether or not the park’s current riprap, or the large stones that protect the shore along the perimeter of the 8.78-acre park, provides enough protection against future storms. The report might determine a need to push the riprap back or replace it in some areas, Anderson said.
Gailey said the city has developed a “good working relationship” with FEMA and it is a good possibility that FEMA will reimburse the city for damages up to 75 percent and the city will be responsible for the remaining 25 percent.
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