Fort Williams plan goes on the road

CAPE ELIZABETH — The Fort Williams Foundation is seeking public input on the designs of five leading local landscape architects being considered for the soon-to-be-built Children’s Garden at The Arboretum at Fort Williams Park.

“We’d like to have people visit the various sites where the designs are on display and then to tell us what they think on our Facebook page,” said Ginger Jones, the foundation's fundraising coordinator for the project.  “We really just want as much input from the public as possible.”

The Arboretum project began in November 2010, with the clearing of invasive species from the Cliffside section of the 90-acre by hundreds of volunteers. The hillside in that area was then replanted with three linked sites boasting native trees, high-bush blueberries, huckleberry and juniper.

The Cliffside section was completed this summer, leading to the August launch of the children’s garden as the next in what will eventually be 12 themed arboretum locations.

For the children’s garden, being build on a 1-acre plot that was once part of a summer camp at Fort Williams, the foundation asked five landscape architects to submit designs, including Peter Burke Landscape Architecture, Terrence J. DeWan & Associates, Regina S. Leonard Landscape Architect, Mitchell & Associates, and Richardson & Associates.

“Designers were invited to compete in envisioning a fun, accessible educational place where children of all ages and abilities can climb, explore and discover while also learning about environmental stewardship, Maine native plants, and the park’s significance,” said Jones.

The designs are now on display with preliminary ideas including forts, shipwrecks, lighthouses, a maze, quiet hide-away spaces, and adventure paths.

“All of the feedback we get from the public will be utilized with the wining designer to tweak and incorporate into the eventual design,” said the foundation's president, Steve Bates. “The idea of spreading the displays around was to reinforce that this is not just a Cape Elizabeth initiative, this is a regional initiative.”

Jones says the winning designer will be named at a private ceremony in Cape Elizabeth on Oct. 19, with an announcement to follow on the arboretum’s Facebook page.

The competition and design of the garden is funded in large part through a $17,500 donation from the South Portland & Cape Elizabeth Rotary Club.

Jones said a final design is expected to be complete by year’s end. Fundraising should be wrapped up on the $450,000 project by winters’ end, with construction to start in the spring, she said.