Portland Parks Conservancy

A new waterfront park is coming to Portland!

This morning, we joined the City of Portland, partners, and community members to break ground on a new public greenspace along the eastern waterfront, currently referred to as Portland Harbor Common.

After more than five years of planning and fundraising, this 3.5-acre site will transform from a former parking area into a vibrant space with trails, trees, and room for community gatherings.

First envisioned by the late Richard “Dick” Barringer, whose legacy continues to guide this work, we heard remarks from his wife, Martha Freeman, along with Director of Parks, Recreation & Facilities Ethan Hipple, Mayor Mark Dion, and our Executive Director Jack Phillips, all paying respect to Dick and his lasting impact.

Construction is now underway, with an anticipated opening in fall 2026.

Read more: https://tinyurl.com/rtktfwyh

Park Friends, we want to hear from you 💬

We’re gathering community input to help shape the future of Portland’s parks and green spaces, and your voice matters.

Take a few minutes to fill out our survey:
https://tinyurl.com/y3yjewmh

The 4th Annual Egg Scramble is coming to Payson Park on March 28 at 10am, and we’re looking for volunteers to help make this fun, family-friendly event a success!

Volunteer roles may include:
• Registration
• Activity support
• General event-day help

Interested in volunteering? Sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/5ax5yp28
Portland Maine Parks, Recreation & Facilities Department

Introducing Portland’s Living Landmarks, a new series celebrating the stories behind some of Portland’s most meaningful trees. Follow along as Ashley McHugh, Portland’s Community Tree Steward, introduces a different tree found throughout our city each week. Our first feature highlights this Eastern White Pine in Evergreen Cemetery.

Visit the link in our bio to read more about the project on our blog. New episodes will be added there as the series continues.

Living Landmarks: Eastern White Pine The largest Eastern White Pine in Portland, Maine can be found in Evergreen Cemetery.

Help us name Portland's new park! 💡💭 A new park is scheduled to start construction in March 2026 on a site currently occupied by the Ocean Gateway queuing lanes.

The new 3.5 acre park site will consist of a public greenspace along the Eastern Waterfront transformed into an area with walking and biking trails, trees, native plantings, lawn areas, hardscape areas for event space or food truck activation, lighting, playful features, and parking for nearby water dependent uses. 🚲 🌼 🌳 🤸 🌊

Visit portlandmaine.gov/NameThePark to submit your name ideas through Friday, February 27th.

Harbor Common Park has been used as the temporary name for the space. The new park name will apply to the area that includes the Ocean Gateway queuing lanes as well as the area known as the Amethyst Lot.

Visit the project page to learn more:
https://portland.civilspace.io/en/projects/portland-harbor-common-phase-1

Read full update:
https://www.portlandmaine.gov/1/Home?contentId=12688d1d-0e66-421d-9f77-5d9cd48d42f7

Our parks should always be places of peace, belonging, and connection. We stand with our community and remain committed to keeping Portland’s parks welcoming and safe for everyone. 💚

❄️ Frozen Funk is back at Deering Oaks Park! ❄️

We’re looking for volunteers to help make this year’s Frozen Funk a success!

When: Saturday, Jan 17, 2026
Set-up: 46pm | Event: 6pm | Takedown: following the event
Where: Deering Oaks Park, meet at the Castle.

If you’d like to volunteer, sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/7d98djs6

Feel free to reshare to help us spread the word!

In 2025, the Conservancy raised $1.25M toward a new community pool, celebrated five years of the Portland Youth Corps, opened the Riverton Trolley Bike Park, and coordinated 40+ volunteer days. Looking forward to 2026, we are helping develop a plan for Portland’s urban forest, while advancing parks and recreation initiatives across the city. Learn more about our impact and make a donation to support this work: https://tinyurl.com/5ect6an8