REQUIRED TOPIC AREA - Recreation
Minimum data required:
(1) The community’s Comprehensive Planning Recreation Data Set prepared and provided to the community by the Department of Conservation, and the Office, or their designees.
See the map titled Public Facilities and Services for recreational facilities included in the state-prepared data set and additional facilities as identified by the Town.
(2) A description of important public and private active recreation programs, land and water recreation areas (including hunting and fishing areas), and facilities in the community and region, including regional recreational opportunities as appropriate, and identification of unmet needs.
Inventory of Physical Assets
· The Bowdoinham Community School (BCS) was built in 1955, with additions in 1968, 1977, and 1991 /1992. It has an attached auditorium/gymnasium with a small stage. The facility has a poured rubber floor and a regulation-sized basketball court. The School District and the Town have an agreement for access to the building for community use.
· A Little League baseball field, built in 1992, is on school property. Two additional ball fields for baseball and soccer are at the recreation complex. The Town owns the batting cage, a pitching machine, and soccer goals.
· A community playground for small children was constructed behind BCS. The construction was supervised by the Bowdoinham Parent Teacher Club members and contains wood and metal play apparatus.
· The outdoor regulation basketball court was built in the summer of 1993. A regulation tennis court was built in 1993.
· The outdoor ice-skating rink is situated in the parking area for the ball fields along the Ridge Road. The rink is approximately 30 feet by 100 feet and is weather dependent and maintained by volunteers. In the summer of 1999 two horseshoe pits were installed.
· An outdoor volleyball court is maintained by volunteers for summer use.
· There is also a nature trail adjacent to the ball fields and a one-kilometer strip mowed on the fields for cross-country running and skiing.
· Volunteers constructed a snack shack and storage building with water and electricity, at the athletic field on Ridge Road in 1999. Two picnic tables were purchased and an electronic scoreboard was installed at the community school for basketball season
· The Town Hall has undergone extensive renovation during the late 1990’s. It is also used for recreational activities and programs.
· The State of Maine manages the Merrymeeting Bay Wildlife Area, located at the tip of Wildes Point Road. Area and State level field dog trials occur here on a regular basis, but the State discourages camping and many other activities often associated with the outdoors.
· The Masons, The Knights of Pythias and The Grange all have buildings in the Village. These social clubs are a recreational asset for their members and are potentially available for community use.
· Bowdoinham has many East-West discontinued roads. The public right of way to these roads has often been retained when the road was discontinued. These provide public access for snowmobiling, hiking, cross-country skiing, and horseback riding. These are not part of an established recreation program but should be identified and maintained for public uses.
Bowdoinham Waterfront Park / Philip Mailly Park and Town Landing / Boat Launch
The Bowdoinham Waterfront Park, also known as the Philip Mailly Park, is on two acres purchased in 1992 following years of informal town use. Volunteers and the Merrymeeting Yacht Club have assisted maintenance at the Park with the town budget providing the funds for maintenance. Facilities include picnic benches, horseshoe pits, and a fishing area.
Volunteers constructed a planked stage for a Waterfront Concert Series in 1999. A canoe rack and other improvements were installed. The Department of Conservation provided $5,500 grant for constructing a vault privy in 1998 Parking for 29 vehicles is available. Four spaces are assigned to handicapped parking. The park was landscaped in 1997 with trees, shrubs, and areas of lawn.
The Town Landing, located within Philip Mailly Park, is primarily a boat launch jointly owned by the Town and the Department of Conservation. It consists of a boat ramp and two docks, one for handicapped use, where the public may launch and board boats. It is located on the Cathance River, just east of the Route 24 Bridge at the foot of Main Street. This public right of way was completely rebuilt with town and Department of Conservation funds and a federal grant, which provided the assistance of the Navy Seabees. The Waterfront Committee supervised the renovation.
The Landing is a full-tide ramp, so that boats can be launched at any tide. There is a mean low tide of 4 feet, 8 inches at the site. The 13 and 1/2-degree ramp angle makes it easier to launch large boats at any tide.
Down river from the landing are spaces for 44 moorings, 40 for residents and four for non-residents, as required by state law. Twenty-eight are currently used. These moorings are registered with the Town and supervised by a paid Harbormaster, who reports to the Town manager.
Recreation Programs
The Town hired a ½ time Director of recreation in June 1999.
Baseball
This is the largest recreation program in the town, serving approximately 130 players through T-ball (ages 5-7), youth league (ages 8-12), Bambino (ages 9-12), Girls softball (three teams for K-16 years) and Babe Ruth League (ages 13-15). As players move beyond T-ball, they compete with teams from within the Town as well as from Harpswell and Bowdoin. Babe Ruth teams "pool" and "draft" interested players form all the towns in S.A.D. #75. Senior Babe Ruth and American Legion teams are available for players 16-18 years of age.
Basketball
The season begins in November and runs through February. Third and fourth graders have 40 players. Fifth and sixth grades have 23 boys and 2 girls teams. In 1998-99 season, a K-2 program was added with 35 boys and girls participating. This program ran from November 1 through December and is a skills development program. Game schedules include teams from Harpswell and Bowdoin. Adult basketball meets regularly one night a week during the winter months. During the warmer months games are less regular and are played on the outdoor court. Sundays are open gym time for middle school and high school students during Feb/March. They participate in a “Travel League” at the Yarmouth Recreation Department
Soccer
A soccer clinic meets once a week for 5-6 weeks from mid-July through late August. This is an opportunity for children ages 5-12 to learn and develop skills. The program has served 28 children in each of the past two summers. During the fall soccer season, interested Bowdoinham children participate in the Topsham Recreation soccer leagues. Many children participate in other local club and camp offerings throughout the year.
Volleyball
Adult co-ed volleyball is played one night a week. This activity has a consistent and strong following (10-20 people). In winter, games are held in the school gym, while during the summer months an outdoor (grass) court is maintained.
Skiing
A downhill skiing program is offered beginning in January and running through mid-February. This program takes place at Lost Valley in Auburn and consists of six two-hour sessions (one hour of which is instruction) and a seventh half day session. Transportation from the school to the mountain is part of this package. This program has been in existence for several years and has been attended by as many as thirty children plus a handful of adult chaperones. A 1-km cross-country loop trail has been maintained around the athletic fields.
Tennis
Tennis instruction has been offered by the Recreation Department for the last three summers for up to 12 children participating. Informal tennis tournaments have been held. In 1999, an adult class was added.
Swimming
Lessons are available through the Topsham and Brunswick Recreation Departments, the Bath YMCA and the Maine Event Fitness Center.
Running and Walking Club
Running and walking activities for children in second, third, fourth, and fifth grades are available in the autumn.
SeaSpray Kayaking
Seaspray Kayaking provides daily instruction for children, going on expedition treasure hunts from the Town Landing in the summer.
Village Seniors
Lunches, socials, bingo and other events are planned on a monthly basis through --- Spectrum Generations/Bowdoinham Estates and the Town Recreation Department.
Library
The library offers a variety of reading, activity, and workshop programs throughout the year.
Dances
Privately sponsored dances (contra, etc.) are held in the Town Hall. These dances are quite regular and are open to the public for a small fee.
Events
The Town sponsors community events including:
· Santa's visit to the Fire Station each December.
· The Bowdoinham Summer Sunday Concert Series is held in Mailly Waterfront Park. The free outdoor concerts begin at 6:30pm and go until at least 8pm every Sunday starting on Late June to Late August. This popular concert series features a wide range of rock, folk, county and acoustic music from local and regional musicians.
· Bowdoinham has held the Annual Celebrate Bowdoinham Anniversary Party in September, in and around the Waterfront Park.
Other and non-municipal programs
Other recreation is available through organizations such as Scouts, the Bowdoinham Snowmobile Club, and the Merrymeeting Yacht Club, as well as the Parent Teacher Club, and local churches. While these are not town supported activities, they do provide opportunities for free or inexpensive recreation. Again, volunteers are vital to their success.
The Young Eagles Program to acquaint town youth with aviation is offered by personnel at the local airport on the Bay Road, approximately one mile south of the village.
With its rural character, rivers, and Merrymeeting Bay, the Town has had many opportunities for these kinds of private recreational activities: Hunting, fishing, walking, boating, bicycling, horseback riding.
The Richard Ferrier Scholarship Fund is for students between the ages of 13 and 18 who are residents of Bowdoinham and provides financial assistance so that they may pursue artistic, academic, athletic and vocational or interests outside of the traditional school environment (including but not limited to: music lessons, tuition for summer programs or studies, or special athletic instruction). The Maine Community Foundation administers this fund.
Recreational Businesses
The following recreational businesses are located within Bowdoinham:
· Ackers Acres Disc Golf: disc golf course: 30 holes, 2 courses with 4'x8' cement T-pads a small clubhouse with snacks and drinks available. Host weddings, anniversaries, company parties, etc., 60 acres, open year round, Dingley Rd.
· AV Systems of Maine L.L.C.: Home Theater Design. Pratt Rd.
· Dragonworks Kayaks: Manufacture whitewater and sea touring kayaks, accessories, offer tours of Merrymeeting Bay and instruction, Stevens Rd.
· Jim’s Smelt Fishing Camp. Cathance River, 24 camps, Route 24.
· Leighton’s Smelt Fishing Camp Abagadasset River, 10 camps, Brown’s Point Rd.
· Point of View Helicopter Services: Scenic sightseeing of Merrymeeting Bay and region, aerial photography, aerial surveying, wildlife tracking, pipeline patrols and cargo. Stevens Rd.
· River Bend Smelt Fishing Camp. Cathance River. 30 camps, Wallentine Rd.
(3) An inventory of any fresh or salt water bodies in the community determined locally to have inadequate public access.
Bowdoinham has miles of frontage on the Kennebec, Cathance, and Abagadasset Rivers and Merrymeeting Bay, but it has no organized swimming areas and only limited points of access.
See the map titled Public Facilities and Services for the location of shorefront access points. There are four “Paddle Put-ins” shorefront access points:
· Mailly Waterfront Park (Town Landing) on the Cathance River
· CMP Carry-in (CMP property) on the Lower Abagadasset River
· Gallant Carry-in (State Inland Fisheries and Wildlife property) on the Upper Abagadasset River
· Unnamed off Porkpoint Rd (State agricultural property) on the Kennebec River, below Swan Island
No public access is available on these waterways with Bowdoinham: West Branch and Androscoggin River.
(4) A description of local and regional trail systems, trail management organizations, and conservation organizations that provide trails for all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiling, skiing, mountain biking, or hiking.
Local trails
The Bowdoinham Central School has an indoor track and outdoor waking paths. The Cathance River Walk (3/4 mile) follows the river on town owned property opposite the Philip Malley Park. The Detweiler/Leyman property on Carding Machine Rd (3/4 mile) has a trail to the Abby.
See the map titled Public Facilities and Services for the location of conserved and town properties with trails. The State of Maine holds two significant parcels that total 485 acres. Reed’s Point and the Bachman Property are managed as wildlife preserves and are accessible by trails. On State Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (IFW) property in Bowdoinham (Wildes Rd), the following uses are allowed:
· Snowshoeing, skiing, bird watching
· Hunting (portable tree stands only), fishing, trapping,
· Water access at designated points or at road crossings, carrying in canoes across open land is allowed
· Snowmobiles and ATV's on designated trails only
· Walking on existing trails is allowed but. IFW do not plan to establish any additional trails.
The following are not allowed on State Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (IFW) property in Bowdoinham:
· Camping
· Fires
· Cutting trees or vegetation without written permission
· New trails established or marked without written permission
Regional conservation organizations such as the Friends of Merrymeeting Bay and the Kennebec Estuary Land Trust hold several conservation easements of lands near or adjacent to State properties, connecting habitats and ecosystems. Most of the areas attract recreational visitors. The Cathance River Education Alliance, based in Topsham, promotes ecological awareness and nature-based learning among students, educators and the public in order to foster wise use of the Cathance River Preserve. The Bowdoinham Snowbirds, a snowmobile club, maintain over 50 miles of trails throughout Bowdoinham. For the locations of these trails, see the map titled Bowdoinham Snowbirds and/or the map titled Recreation: Trails. These trails also connect to Bowdoin, Richmond, Litchfield, and Merrymeeting Bay, which link to other trail networks beyond Sagadahoc County.