Residents, business owners and the City of Sanford are working together to get beautification projects funded and complete in the Springvale village area.
Businessman Lionel Sevigny has led the charge, gathering other business owners and residents who support the beautification efforts to organize. The group is coordinating with other projects being done in the area, and recently got a pledge from the city council for the planned improvements.
The city will put $75,000 toward the project. It received the money from a negotiation with Central Maine Power over an easement through a portion of Springvale. The city got $100,000 from the negotiation, and the remaining $25,000 will be earmarked to go toward demolishing a derelict building, deemed a safety hazard, at the intersection of River and Cottage streets.
The city’s trails committee has also agreed to put up $10,000 for sidewalk extension. The plan includes extending sidewalks from Main Street up Route 109 to the Springvale Recreation area.
As well, Sevigny plans to purchase a piece of city-owned property behind an apartment building he owns on Bridge Street for $50,000 ”“ $25,000 of which will help buy new streetlights with the remaining $25,000 to go toward creating a park on the property.
Also in the works is a project of the George E. Poirier Council 2755 Knights of Columbus and the Springvale Social Club to clean up a park next to the social club, and replace a chain link fence with a more attractive, decorative one there. The project is valued at $5,000.
It’s heartening to see so many groups and individuals stepping up to get this project completed. Business owners like Sevigny are wise to see the value in investing in the community in which their business is located. The more attractive an area is to visitors, the more likely those visitors are to come and spend their time and money in local establishments. Sanford and Springvale have a lot of competition with Saco, Biddeford and the many coastal communities of York County working to build up and beautify their Main Streets and mill districts. Anything locals can do to spruce up the city is sure to help business and tourism.
All of the beautification efforts are gearing up because road construction is planned in the village. The Maine Department of Transportation plans to pave Main Street ”“ Route 109 ”“ in August, which is an ideal time to replace streetlights and other fixtures as well as extend sidewalks.
These types of projects may be the wave of the future as municipal budgets tighten and state revenues shrink, and we’re pleased to see Sanford-Springvale leading the way in an innovative, new approach to improving the city’s infrastructure and curb appeal.
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