Update - Thank you & Video Posted: Re: Readfield Fairgrounds Planning Public Meeting - Tuesday, May 16, 2023 starting at 6:30 PM

"Thanks to all the folks who attended the Public Meeting on the Fairgrounds on Tuesday, May 16th. It was great to see so many of you there and we appreciate the comments and suggestions. The Fairgrounds Working Group will not meet again before the vote in June. If Article 11 is approved, we will continue planning work. We will take the comments from the Public Meeting into account, refining the proposal, and using a process similar to what we used for the softball field to look at options for where to best locate a basketball court in the village area. We will also consider other aspects of the proposal based on public comment." (May 18, 2023)

Fairgrounds Plan Public Meeting Video - May 16, 2023

Come share your thoughts about a proposed concept plan for the Readfield Fairgrounds

Fairgrounds Working Group

In early 2023, a Fairgrounds Working Group was created with representatives from multiple town committees including the Recreation Committee, Conservation Commission, Trails Committee, Age-Friendly Committee and Cemetery Committee.  The group was asked to address the need for a girls’ softball field in town without the use of property tax dollars.

Through its research, the Working Group determined that there were no viable options for a softball field other than the Fairgrounds property, so it turned its attention to developing a proposed plan for the Fairgrounds fields near Church Road.

Group Vision for Fairgrounds Fields

The Fairgrounds Working Group has created a proposed concept plan for the Church Road fields of the Fairgrounds property (attached) intended to provide a balance between:

• An area managed for sporting facilities and community events; and
• Open meadows for habitat, scenic beauty, education, and low-impact outdoor recreation (trail uses and nature observation).

The plan aims to greatly increase the accessibility of the area to people of all ages and abilities.

Furthermore, the Working Group recognizes that the Fairgrounds is one of several interconnected public lands in the Village Area of Readfield including the Maranacook School Property and the Town Beach which should be viewed together to maximize the public benefits that they can offer.  The Working Group understands that there is a desire for additional recreational facilities, most notably a basketball court, to be appropriately sited in the Village Area in the future.

Town Warrant Article on Fairgrounds Planning

Article 11 on the 2023 Town Annual Meeting Warrant reads as follows:

Article 11: Shall the Town vote to pursue the development of an expanded multi-use recreational field area at the Fairgrounds property, consistent with the Town’s Fairgrounds Management Plan; with any final project plans coming before the voters for approval; and with the project construction to be funded exclusively by Federal, State, and private grant sources and donations which the Town is hereby authorized to apply for, accept and expend?

Passage of the Article would allow for the Fairgrounds planning process to proceed and the exploration of funding opportunities for the project.  The expectation is that a final development plan will be presented to Town residents for approval in November, 2023 along with an estimated budget and plans to raise the necessary funds from outside sources.