Portland, Maine
Tuesday, September 16, 1997
by John Alphonse
In response to the demands of patrons and management of establishments on Portland's Temple Street, city workers will soon place additional public benches outside the Nickelodeon Theater, adjacent to the benches that were recently relocated in front of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters.
The grass island and stone dust path in front of the theater will be converted to "brick, with additional benches and plants," according to Dana Souza, acting director of the city's Parks & Recreation Department.
Additional plantings also will be placed in a smaller grass island, closer to the street in front of the theater.
Souza and other parks department officials held a meeting earlier this summer with citizens who frequent the spot and representatives of area businesses. Complaints of crowds of patrons hindering pedestrian flow through the area prompted the meeting.
One of the major complaints apparently was the playing of a beanbag foot game called "hackey sack" on the sidewalk near the roadway in front of Green Mountain. In response to this, Souza says there will be an area for such activities provided "away from the street, away from the sidewalk," on the island area outside the Nickelodeon.
"What started with a negative edge has turned out quite positive now," says Souza.
Work is expected to be completed this fall.
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