eastern promenade master plan - portland, maine - “The park is the garden of the people, and whoever learns to make the best use of it will find ample suggestions of paradise.” Portland Commissioners of Parks, Cemeteries and Public Grounds, 1895 portland department of parks and recreation walker-kluesing design group Adopted as part of Portland’s Comprehensive Plan eastern promenade by City Council on 17 November 2003 master plan - portland, maine - recipient of merit award for planning boston scoiety of landscape architects 2004 2004 portland department of parks and recreation 17 Arbor Street, Portland, Maine 04103 walker-kluesing design group master planning - landscape architecture 144 Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111 gillon associates transportation engineering 3 old farm road, norwood, Massachusetts 02062 Ocmulgee Associates structural engineering 317 high Street, ipswich, Massachusetts 01938 Cover image Detail of undated photograph of Carl a. Cathcart arboriculture Eastern Promenade, Fort Gorges and Casco Bay 54 old marlboro road, maynard, Massachusetts 01754 [Collections of the Maine Historical Society] - A MASTER PLAN for eastern promenade - It may not be amiss for me in view of the great multitude, who, during the vacation season, in quest of health or pleasure most naturally come to our New England coast, to speak of the advantages of Portland. Nature has been lavish of her favors to our ever beautiful Casco bay, and its surroundings. I make no recommendation, looking to the expenditure of money, but trust that you will be more fully impressed with the value of the attractions nature has provided, and in conjunction with our fellow citizens, will strive to make these attractions as fruitful to our interests as possible. Mayor Marquis F. King, March 1884 View of Casco Bay from Eastern Promenade, 2003 contents FOREWORD MASTER PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS Traffic Safety 36 Purpose and Goals 1 Overall Concept 19 Eastern Prom @ Morning and Cutter Methodology 2 Landscape Character 20 Eastern Prom @ Wilson and Moody ProjectArea 2 Landscape Character Eastern Prom @ North St/Loring Organization of the Master Plan Vegetation Cutter Street Document 2 Volunteer Growth Railroad Crossing Landscape Preservation Standards 2 Shrubs and Horticultural Displays Union Branch Rail Line Summary Recommendations 3 Lawns User Safety and Vandalism 38 Soils Recreation Facilities 39 PLANS Circulation Systems and Materials 27 Fort Allen Olmsted Brothers 1905 plan 7 Vehicular Drives Picnic Existing Conditions Plan 9 Walks North Street Community Gardens Master Plan 11 Pavement Materials Playground Curbs and Gutters Athletic Fields HISTORIC BACKGROUND Accessibility 34 Hard Court Sports Historic Significance 13 Parking 34 Trails The Establishment and Development East End Beach of Eastern Promenade 14 Recreational and Commercial Boat Ramps Remaining Historic Features 17 Sledding Hill Skating - i - Buildings 46 Implementation APPENDIX Bandstand Priorities and Phasing 61 Selected Chronology 105 Bathhouse Master Plan Cost Estimate 63 Selected Bibliography 127 Former Buildings Outline Specifications 77 Fences 47 Cleeves and Tucker Monument Fence MAINTENANCE/MANAGEMENT Fort Allen Fence Administrative Management 85 Active Recreation Fences Management of Eastern Promenade Other Fences Friends Groups and Citizen Participation Monuments, Memorials and Funding Commemorative Markers 49 Recognition of Contributions 1812 Burying Ground Working with Volunteers Cleeves and Tucker Memorial Cutter Street USS Maine Memorial Cannon Commercial Boat Ramp Operations GAR Memorial Bench Snow Dumping Jacob Cousins Memorial Traffic and Parking USS Portland Memorial Off Leash Dogs Carl S. Pedersen Memorial Monuments, Memorials and Loring Memorial Commemorative Markers Nathan H. Smith Commemorative Bench Maintenance Management 91 Arctic Campaign Memorial Guidelines 9/11 Memorial General Cleanup Senator L. Joel Abromson Memorial Bench Vegetation Management Charlie Houghton Memorial Bench Trees Site Amenities and Furnishings 53 Shrubs and Horticultural Displays Signs Ground Cover Benches Turf Management Picnic Tables Paved Areas Drinking Fountains Active Recreation Areas Bicycle Racks Beach Trash Receptacles Bandstand and Bathhouse Flagpoles Iron Fences Utilities 58 Chain Link Fences and Gates Electric Service and Lighting Monuments and Memorials Storm Drainage Site Amenities Water Supply Utilities Landscape Maintenance Time Requirements 102 Staff Recommendations 103 All contemporary photographs are by Walker- Kluesing Design Group unless otherwise noted. - ii - - A MASTER PLAN for eastern promenade - ACKNOWLEDGMENTS City Council And Special Thanks to: We wish to express our appreciation to the fol- James F. Cloutier, Mayor The staff at the Maine Historical Society, the Port- lowing individuals who attended meetings to Peter E. O’Donnell, District 1 land Room of the Portland Public Library and discuss and contribute to the concepts presented Karen Geraghty, District 2 Greater Portland Landmarks, Inc. in this master plan. Their contributions were Nathan H. Smith, District 3 invaluable. Cheryl A. Leeman, District 4 James I.Cohen, District 5 Master Plan Committee Jill C. Duson, At Large Peter E. O’Donnell, City Councilor Nicholas Mavodones, Jr., At Large George N. Campbell, Jr., Chair Hilary Bassett, Greater Portland Landmarks City Staff Nan Cumming, Portland Trails Joseph E. Gray, Jr., City Manager Marco DeSalle, Promenade East Denise Clavette, Director, Parks & Recreation Kirk Goodhue, Friends of the Parks Commis- Deborah Andrews, Historic Preservation Program sion Manager, Planning Division William R. Gorham, Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Larry Ash, Traffic Engineer, Public Works Organization Mike Bobinsky, Director, Public Works Daniel T. Haley, Jr., Resident David Cohan, Ports & Transportation William R. Hefler, Portland House Condo As- Alex Jaegerman, Director, Planning Division sociation Bill Needelman, Senior Planner, Planning Divi- Christopher J. Hoppin, Island Representative sion Marc LaMontagne, Little League Jeff Tarling, Arborist, Parks & Recreation Leslie Lowry, Planning Board Lee Urban, Director, Planning & Development Gary V. Marcisso, Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization Margery Niblock, Resident Amy Sutherland, Resident - iii - - iv - - a master plan for eastern promenade - In March of 1885, speaking about public parks and the new commission that was about to be appointed, Mayor John W. Deering stated “It is hoped that this board will become a power that will protect and preserve for Portland, the great natural beauties of sea and landscape which nature has bestowed upon our city. We all see the necessity of guarding with a jealous eye these inestimable treasures, which no other city in New England possesses in such variety.” Fort Allen, late 1800s FOREWORD [Blethen, Maine newspapers] Eastern Promenade should be considered The purpose of this study is to develop a master General goals include rehabilitation of this historic Portland’s signature park in that it embodies the plan, treatment plan and implementation plan for resource in a contemporary context, reinforcement essential character of the city with grand sweeping the entire property and its relationship to adjacent of an overall image that is compatible with the views of Casco Bay. The park is a significant lands that can be used as a guide for both long and natural and historic assets of this approximately historic public landscape that expresses the design short term planning and improvements. 73 acre park [including the Jack School site], vision of the Olmsted firm. It also exemplifies the improvement of accessibility, and increasing important qualities of a large Olmsted park. The purpose of this publication is to document passive recreation opportunities while maintaining the historic background of this park, evaluate the active recreation components, but not PURPOSE AND GOALS the current conditions and to assess the extent expanding them. In an effort to restore this historic park, and of significant deterioration. The plan offers a knowing that expedient solutions too often compendium of information directly related ultimately compound the problem, the City to the preservation, restoration, rehabilitation, mandated preparation of this master plan along reconstruction, management and care of this historic with a program to encourage community support, landscape. It also provides recommendations advocacy and public education. reflecting current preservation techniques, technologies and approaches. Recommendations and prioritized cost projections are presented on work that needs to be accomplished as well as recommendations for ongoing maintenance and management. Foreword - 1 - METHODOLOGY Both the area of dedicated park land and area of LANDSCAPE PRESERVATION STANDARDS The study began with on site investigations historic designation exclude land south of Vesper As a designated historic landmark, improvements and a review of available historic and current Street on Eastern Promenade, and the Jack School to the property should follow the 1996 Secretary materials found in the files of the Frederick Law site. The area of dedicated park land excludes of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Olmsted National Historic Site, Portland Parks the treatment plant site while it is included in the Historic Properties with Guidelines for the Treatment and Recreation Department, Department of Public area of historic designation. Similarly, the area of of Cultural Landscapes. These standards provide Works,