Respondents to a recent survey want the town of Damariscotta to rebuild its municipal parking lot, add more parking, and build public restrooms, but disagree about a potential boardwalk and improvements to Misery Gulch.
Twenty-six of approximately 75 attendees at a Feb. 12 open house about the Damariscotta waterfront improvement project completed the survey, which was distributed at the event.
Damariscotta Board of Selectmen Chair Ronn Orenstein tallied the results and read them during the board’s meeting Feb. 18.
Eighty-eight percent of survey results were in favor of rebuilding the parking lot, including reconstruction of associated sanitary and storm drainage systems.
Eighty-four percent were in favor of acquiring additional parking, and 88 percent were in favor of building public restrooms.
Seventy-three percent of survey respondents were in favor of building pedestrian walkways in the parking lot.
Forty-two percent of respondents were in favor of constructing a 256-foot boardwalk on the riverfront, while 19 percent were in favor of a 170-foot boardwalk.
During the open house, local businessman Barnaby Porter recommended the boardwalk at the Damariscotta waterfront resemble the deck of a clipper ship to commemorate Damariscotta’s shipbuilding history.
Thirty-four percent of surveys were not in favor of any improvements to Misery Gulch, while 42 percent were in favor of constructing a pedestrian walkway across the gulch. Fifteen percent were in favor of a parking deck across the gulch.
According to Damariscotta Town Manager Matt Lutkus, the time frame for all projects is dependent on funding sources and what recommendations the public agrees on.
“It could be around 10 years before all is said and done,” he said at the open house.
The Damariscotta Waterfront Improvement Committee plans to hold a second open house in May. Lutkus said the date is to be determined.
