The pedestrian tunnel near the Tanner Square Memorial in Woolwich is getting a new look that includes a colorful mural Woolwich Central School students will paint.

The tunnel beneath Route 1 near Cumberland Farms provides a safe way for pedestrians and bicyclists to get from one side of the busy highway to the other. In recent years, it has fallen victim to vandals who’ve painted graffiti on its concrete walls and littered the walkway.

This past fall, the select board had the tunnel repainted through a community service program the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Department administered. The program involved Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset.

“Over the winter (WCS’s) art program has become involved and offered to paint a mural of their own design on the tunnel walls,” said Selectman Allison Hepler. She reached out to school officials for their input last December.

WCS art teacher Laura Devin is supervising the project that involves almost all of the school’s students. The mural the students designed includes a series of trees against a blue background. Students’ handprints will serve as leaves. “We are pairing the students up so there will be an older student working with a younger one,” Devin explained in an email. She plans to have two grade levels at a time work on the mural.

Before students can start painting, the tunnel needs to be thoroughly cleaned. A prep day is scheduled for this Saturday, May 5 beginning at 9 a.m. Volunteers of all ages are needed to brush away and scrape loose paint from the tunnel walls and sweep up afterwards. Helpers are asked to bring along their own wire brushes, paint scrapers, dustpans and brooms. The town office will provide trash bags.

The sketching and painting of the mural is set to commence Sunday, May 6 and be finished May 19. On May 31, the students will return to paint and sign their handprints. The school is providing the paintbrushes, paint and other supplies for the project.  

To enhance security of the tunnel, the select board recently had security cameras placed at both ends and the lighting repaired.

Hepler said community volunteers are also needed to rake and bag dead leaves and other debris at the tunnel entrances and the grounds. For more information on how to become involved, contact Hepler at 319-4396 or email aheplerwoolwich@gmail.com