Fees not mandatory at Kettle Cove in Cape

The Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, under the Maine Department of Conservation, will suspend its proposed mandatory fee collection at two Portland-area park lands at the request of Gov. John Baldacci, according to department officials.

 The Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands instead will request voluntary fee payment from visitors to Mackworth Island in Falmouth and Kettle Cove Beach in Cape Elizabeth. Fees still will be required to be paid at Colonial Pemaquid State Historic Site in New Harbor, as they have been.

 The Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands had planned to collect fees at the two sites.  Instead, the bureau now will install what is known as “iron rangers,” or metal fee receptacles, at the entrance of the park areas. Fee payment will be on a voluntary basis as it is at all parks during the off-season. Fees at both park areas for Maine residents will be $2 for adults; $1 for children ages 5 to 11; and free for all others. Non-resident adults will pay $3.

Sprague Corp. extends beach lease to state

The Sprague Corp. has reached an agreement with the Maine Department of Conservation to extend a lease for land in Crescent Beach State Park in Cape Elizabeth.

The original lease, which permits the state to use 100 acres of corporation-owned land, was to expire April 24. The state owns the other 87 acres in the park.

The one-year extension gives both sides more time to conclude a long-term agreement similar to one from April 25, 1960.

The land owned by the corporation is on the western side of the park. It includes most of the access road leading into the park, one-fourth of the parking area and one-quarter of the beach, according to Seth Sprague, president of Sprague Corp.

The original lease was for 20 years and in 1966 was amended to last 50 years. The change was made so the state could qualify for federal money to construct the access road, parking lot and concession building, Sprague said.

“We had the opportunity to help create access to the park and we were happy to be part of that,” Sprague said.

The state gets free use of the 100 acres and the corporation pays no property taxes for the leased parcel, according to Sprague.

Since the two sides are still negotiating, Sprague could not offer details about the terms and conditions that might be included in a multi-year lease.

“We’re still working on what the long-term arrangements are going to be,” Sprague said. “We haven’t completed the process and we need more time.”

Sprague said he was optimistic about getting a deal that would be satisfactory to the state, the public and corporation for many years to come.

“We’ve had a positive relationship. It’s been a good thing for everyone,” Sprague said.