The Portland parking lot beside Ocean Gateway and across from India Street is being reimagined as a new park along the water’s edge.
The city has already secured most of the $2.4 million it needs for the Portland Harbor Common, mostly through federal grants, and is partnering with the nonprofit Portland Parks Conservancy to help raise the rest.
“Parks are really, really important. They’re vital to our quality of life. They’re places we can unwind and relax and get together with friends and neighbors,” said the conservancy’s Executive Director Jack Phillips.
The parcel used to hold lines for the ferry to Nova Scotia but became a parking lot when the ferry stopped running in 2018.
Today, a few dozen spots are reserved for island residents who work on the mainland, and in the summertime when visitors flood into Maine the lot frequently fills up.
Portland Parks, Recreation and Facilities Management Director Ethan Hipple says the city held two public forums on this park project in 2021.
“I think we can do better than just having a parking lot here,” Hipple said.
The parking lot currently has 250 parking spots. The new park will take away half of them. The remaining 125 will be prioritized for those working in and around the waterfront, although nothing specific has been determined.
“We heard a desire from the public for places to connect, for culture and music,” Hipple said. “This is a place for the people. This is a place for everybody.”
City officials hope construction will begin this fall, and the park could be open by 2025.