BIDDEFORD — Changes are coming to Shevenell Park in downtown Biddeford. Sometime soon, the park could have new seating, new programs and more.

Leah Schaffer, who has “adopted” the Main Street park as part of the city’s Adopt A Park program, is seeking recommendations from the public about what they would like in a restyle of Shevenell.

The Adopt A Park program is run by the revitalization organization Heart of Biddeford in conjunction with the city. Currently there are 12 urban parks in the program. Volunteers clean, weed and provide overall maintenance for the parks they adopt.

Schaffer said she adopted Shevenell Park about two years ago. The architect said she became interested in taking the park under her wing because she walked past it frequently and she thinks community parks are important to a city’s vitality. “It’s a great asset,” she said about the park at 145 Main St.

Part of the impetus for the redesign, she said, is because “the existing trees are tearing up the hardscape.”

Currently, events like Music in the Park take place at Shevenell in the summer months. In addition to trees and other plants, there is some seating at the park as well.

Heart of Biddeford Design Committee Member Holly Culloton said she’d like to see a small stage installed that could be used for outdoor concerts or plays. She said she’d like to see the seating rearranged so people could sit and have a private conversation.

Schaffer said she is asking for public input to come up with new ideas for what could take place at the park and how it would look. She said is looking for ideas about “what plantings and the hardscape look like and what programming looks like.”

A survey that residents and others who are interested can take includes questions such as: what types of programs or events people would like to see, what kind of seating and other amenities people want, what are the most important aspects for improving the park, and more. In addition, suggested answers for each of the questions are given, but there is room where people can list their own suggestions.

Responders are also asked for contact information if they want to help out or keep informed.

The park is named for Israel Shevenell who trekked on foot from Canada to Biddeford, in 1845. Shevenell, one of the first Franco-American immigrants to come Biddeford, left an indelible mark on the city when he was eventually followed to Biddeford by thousands of more immigrants from the province of Quebec.

The park named in his honor was created in the mid-1970s, and was the brainchild of the late, former long-time city Economic Director Robert Dodge, who was the city’s community development coordinator at the time.

According to articles from the Biddeford-Saco Journal, at the time of the park’s installation, the so-called mini-mall was located at the site of the Green’s Shoe Store and adjoining Green’s Bargain Annex. The city had purchased the property for $21,000, and tore down the buildings.

“The mall will include benches and greenery,” said Dodge when he was interviewed at the time. “We think it will afford the people a place to sit and meet … and enjoy themselves.”

Over the years, the park fell into disrepair and became a site for vandalism and graffiti. In 2010, about $7,000, including a $4,200 grant from the Main Street Maine program was used to renovate the park and return it to its original purpose

Schaffer said she plans to apply for grants and gather donations to fund future renovations.

To reply to the survey about making changes to Shevenell Park, go to the website www.surveymonkey.com/r/RF8R9XG. For more information, contact Leah Schaffer at leah@calebjohnsonstudio.com. For more information or to become a volunteer for the Adopt A Park program, contact the Heart of Biddeford at 284-8520, or visit the website heartofbiddeford.org.

— Associate Editor Dina Mendros can be reached at 780-9014 or dmendros@gmail.com. Liz Gotthelf contributed to this report.

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