Skowhegan River Park breaks ground: 'Big things can happen in small towns'

Skowhegan River Park moved from planning to construction after a Monday groundbreaking ceremony that marked the start of work on a downtown riverfront boardwalk. Main Street Skowhegan, the economic revitalization nonprofit behind the project, said the first phase includes a fully accessible 4,187-square-foot deck made of northern white cedar overlooking the Kennebec River gorge. Organizers said this year’s construction and a second phase next year are funded, but the group is again fundraising for an in-river whitewater park after losing nearly $5 million in earmarked federal funds due to a lengthy permitting process. The event drew about 150 attendees and included U.S. Sen. Susan Collins and U.S. Sen. Angus King, who compared the project to a San Antonio development he said boosted tourism. The park has been discussed in some form since 1999.