Before Word Gets Out, Visit Maine's Newest Urban Park
By Andrea Verschuyl|Published October 09, 2023
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Andrea Verschuyl
Author
Having grown up in Washington, Andrea is a self-admitted Pacific Northwest snob. In their opinion, there's simply nowhere else in the country with the Evergreen State's beauty. After attending university, Andrea devoted themselves to writing full-time. They're thrilled to represent Washington for Only In Your State while pursuing other professional and personal projects. They currently reside in Olympia, where they enjoy leaf-blowing their yard, perfecting homemade ramen, cuddling with their three tiny dogs, and feeding their pufferfish, Sea Biscuit.
Does your taste in urban parks favor the cutting-edge? If so, you’ll be glad you learned about Portland’s North Deering Park. Comprising 24 acres of green space in the Riverton area, the acquisition of North Deering Park is so recent that photos of it are few and far between. Put on your local photojournalist hat and be the first to document this new park in Maine! In a city packed with stunning public spaces, this northside gem shines bright.
Since officials founded the public parks system over 120 years ago, the city has made preserving Portland's green space a top priority. To date, Portland, Maine, contains over 66 public parks that benefit the people who call the Forest City home.
Some of these spaces, like Lincoln Park, date back over 150 years! As the city has developed, it has continued to buy and reserve land for public recreation.
Parks are a great source of free physical activity and community-building, and studies suggest a relationship between access to public spaces and an array of positive health outcomes. Besides benefiting our mental and physical health, they also uplift neighborhoods economically.
With the creation of North Deering Park, Portland approaches the ranks of a select few American cities whose residents all live within 10 minutes of a public space like Mayor Baxter Woods, pictured here.
Though the surrounding area had reasonable access to beloved spots like Oat Nuts Park Trail, city officials determined that the folks in the North Deering neighborhood were underserved. Now, 96% of Portlanders are located just a stone's throw from outdoor fun!
Opening North Deering Park represents a step in the right direction for park equity in Maine's largest city. It's now open for informal neighborhood use, meaning residents can walk their dogs there and stroll along its existing trails. When you visit, bring your camera to document this new park in Maine! We'd love to see your photos of this bite-sized beauty.
Do you like to be first in everything you do? Why not be one of the first visitors to North Deering Park? For more information, visit the Trust for Public Land website.