Midcoast Conservancy will hold an open house on Wednesday, April 19 from 5 to 7 p.m., for all Wiscasset residents and business owners, as well anyone else interested in the current Maine Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) Wiscasset traffic improvement plan, to enjoy a glass of wine and appetizers, as well as share any thoughts or concerns about the future of Midcoast Conservancy in Wiscasset. Midcoast Conservancy is a land and water conservation organization, whose mission is to support healthy lands, waters, and communities through conservation, outdoor adventure and learning.

Executive Director Jody Jones announced at the Wiscasset Advisory Committee meeting Monday, April 10, that on March 28, Midcoast Conservancy had exercised its option to purchase the Haggett Garage building at 36 Water Street, which it leases from Coastal Enterprises Inc (CEI). On April 10, just hours before the Advisory meeting, MDOT moved to take the Haggett Garage from CEI through eminent domain.

In the Maine Department of Transportation’s latest traffic improvement design plan for Wiscasset, the Haggett Garage, built in 1916, is slated to be torn down and the lot turned into parking spaces. As that plan continues to be revised, it is the hope of Midcoast Conservancy that revisions can include a reworking of the parking space layout that does not entail razing the building. The current revisions are the subject of a public forum on May 8 at the Wiscasset Community Center.

Since moving into the building on January 6, 2016, Midcoast Conservancy has enjoyed its role in the Wiscasset Community. The space is open to non-profit groups for meetings at no charge. Local artists—including Kate Nordstrom, Jonathan Alderfer, George Mason and Leonard Meiselman—have exhibited their work in the Community Room of the building, and the gallery is a stop on the Wiscasset Art Walk. In December, six local craftspeople used the room as a “pop up” market during the Wiscasset Holiday Marketplace. Wiscasset Art Walk and Holiday Marketplace organizer Lucia Droby says, “Midcoast Conservancy has committed itself to being an active resource to the community by offering its site-specific assets – accessible location, meeting room, and parking – for community use.  We would desperately miss these resources should Midcoast Conservancy be required to move from its current location.”

Midcoast Conservancy has also partnered with Wiscasset Parks and Recreation to provide free Outdoor Adventure & Learning programs to local kids and their families. This winter, the two organizations offered a fat bike workshop; a three-day camp is scheduled for April 27-29. Former Director of Parks and Recreation Todd Souza said, “It’s been a breath of fresh air working with Andy [Bezon] and the Midcoast Conservancy crew. Their knowledge, resources and experience have allowed us to fill a programming gap that wasn’t possible”. In addition, Midcoast Conservancy has been working with the town to permanently protect Whites Island for use by Wiscasset residents and visitors forever.

Jody Jones explained why the Haggett building is such a community asset. “We have looked at several alternatives in downtown Wiscasset, including other vacant spaces on Maine Street and other buildings owned by CEI. Unfortunately, none offer the amenities that we most value, including a large community room for functions, ground level access for people of all abilities, and space for new partnerships to grow.”

Midcoast Conservancy is seeking to collaborate with MDOT as revisions continue to the overall plan for the Wiscasset redesign. It is Midcoast Conservancy’s belief that alternatives exist to the current parking plan and that discussion about those alternatives could yield a mutually satisfying outcome. Susan Russell, board president commented, “We would love to continue to be a part of the Wiscasset community and welcome the opportunity to seek a path forward that allows the much needed improvements to be made while still keeping our home in the Haggett building.”