SCARBOROUGH — Following the completion of the Eastern Trail Alliance’s long-awaited “Close the Gap” project, signage was officially installed for the new Connolly-Couture Bridge, a lasting tribute to two individuals whose dedication helped shape Town & Country Federal Credit Union and the communities it serves. Members of the Connolly and Couture families joined Town & Country representatives for a special ceremony dedicating the bridge plaque and taking an inaugural crossing of the bridge.
The bridge, which spans the Nonesuch River and connects South Portland and Scarborough along the new 1.6-mile off-road trail segment, is named in honor of Edward Connolly and Wilfred Couture. Together, they contributed more than 85 years of volunteer service to Town & Country Federal Credit Union and helped guide the organization through decades of growth while remaining deeply committed to community service.
“The installation of the Connolly-Couture Bridge plaque and a ribbon-cutting ceremony with their families represents a proud and meaningful moment for our credit union,” David Libby, president and CEO of Town & Country Federal Credit Union, said. “Ed and Wil were special individuals who loved our credit union and their communities. Ed was from Scarborough and Wil from South Portland and both helped ‘bridge’ our expansion of serving both communities, and this bridge connects those communities on the Eastern Trail. These two remarkable men whose lives were dedicated to building connections.”
Town & Country’s connection to the project dates back to 2017, when the credit union made a $100,000 pledge to the Eastern Trail Alliance’s “Close the Gap” campaign and included the bridge. At the time, it represented the largest philanthropic gift in Town & Country Federal Credit Union’s history and the largest single donation ever made by a Maine credit union.
Connolly, a longtime Scarborough real estate professional, and Couture, an engineer and consultant with strong roots in South Portland, shared a commitment to service, leadership, and community involvement. Their combined decades of volunteer leadership helped shape Town & Country’s mission of helping members and strengthening local communities.
Prior to dedicating the ‘bridge’, Town & Country representatives attended and participated in a ceremony in South Portland celebrating the completion of the ‘Close the Gap’ project and the ‘official’ opening of the 1.6 mile stretch.
“Ed and Wil understood the importance of creating opportunities and bringing people together,” Libby said. “This bridge is much more than a structure crossing a river. It symbolizes connection, community, and the lasting impact individuals can have when they dedicate themselves to serving others. Today is a really special day.”
As one of Maine’s largest credit unions with nearly 40,000 members, Town & Country is a full-service financial institution offering a wide range of financial products and services to people who live, work, go to school, or worship in Cumberland and York counties. For the past four years, Town & Country was named “Best Maine-based Credit Union in the 207” and “Best Mortgage Lender in the 207,” for the fourth consecutive year and was also named “Best Credit Union” in the Best of Portland competition for the third consecutive year. The credit union has approximately $620 million in assets and is part of the largest branch network in the country. To learn more, visit www.tcfcu.com.