Shore Road Path closer to reaching financial goal

Efforts to construct the Shore Road Path in Cape Elizabeth received a financial boost last week with Cape Elizabeth Town Manager Mike McGovern’s announcement that the state will contribute $729,000 to the project.

McGovern said the state contribution to the project, which is estimated to cost $1.14 million, means about $107,000 needs to be raised. McGovern’s estimate includes a $124,000 contingency fund for the project.

State money from the Maine Department of Transportation is passed along from federal grants to the state.

The pathway beside Shore Road, approved by town councilors in September 2009, will extend from the intersection with Route 77 to Fort Williams Park. It will be 5 feet wide and about two miles long. McGovern said all needed local and state permits for building the path have been obtained and the council will discuss next steps for the project at a future meeting.

Fort Williams summer vendors announced

Lobster will be the primary order of the day for vendors selected to sell from food carts at Fort Williams in Cape Elizabeth from May through October.

Five vendors will sell food in three areas of the park, including one full-season license granted to Karl and Sarah Sutton.

The Suttons plan to sell “Mainecentric” food that includes lobster rolls, while Gordo’s Lobster Cakes and the Atlantic Cookie Co. will offer lobster cakes and rolls.

Hot dogs also are on the bill of fare: Frank Marston, owner of Frank’s Franks, plans to use a vintage cart to sell hot dogs through summer and Trish Kincade of Dory Dogs will offer hot dogs and crepes through fall.

The five licenses to vendors will generate $10,000 in revenue for the town, according to Town Manager Mike McGovern. Two licenses are granted from May 1 to Aug. 31, and two licenses are granted from Sept. 1 to Oct. 31.

The full-season license is effective from May 1 to Oct. 31.

Garden scheduled to open next spring

The field behind former Hamlin Elementary School will be open to cultivation in spring 2012 after South Portland city councilors last Wednesday approved a five-year lease with a local gardening group.

Helen Slocum, a member of the Community Garden Collective that will lease the space for $1 from the city until April 30, 2016, said extensive work needed at the site will prevent planting this spring.

Slocum said 17 people in the city are interested in using the gardens next year.

The collective plans to have 39 wooden planter beds, gravel and compost garden paths and irrigation for organic gardening. Three of the 10-foot by 10-foot beds will be used to supply the Harvest for Hunger program and the South Portland Food Cupboard. 

Some planters will be raised high enough to allow access for wheelchair users, Slocum said, and a planter bed for children will be included. 

The gardening group has sought to lease the land behind the current South Portland Planning and Development Department offices at Sawyer Street and Ocean Avenue since January, when the idea was first discussed at a council workshop.

Revised plans reduced the number of beds from 61 to 39 and gardeners are prohibited from parking at the planning and development office from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekdays. Any water lines installed to the gardening area will be done at the expense of the cooperative and cannot require excavating pavement for the pipeline, according to the lease.

The lease requires the city to pay the gardening collective as much as $10,000 if the city-owned property is sold before the lease expires. The payments would offset expenses for setting up the garden.  An amendment to remove the reimbursement clause failed by a 4-3 council vote.

Reimbursing the gardening collective for expenses if the city sells the land could cost the city as much as $10,000, after councilors voted 4-3 against removing the lease clause.