Somerset County awards $400,000 in grants; Skowhegan’s Run of River project receives $173,000

Skowhegan, Maine—On Wednesday, May 19 the Somerset County Commissioners and Tax Increment Financing Committee awarded $173,000 from the County’s Community Benefits Fund for the Run of River Whitewater Recreation Area, a river park for paddling, surfing, and tubing planned for Skowhegan’s downtown Kennebec River Gorge. Funds will be used to finalize and submit environmental permit applications to state and federal regulatory agencies, the next major step of the project.

“We are thrilled that Somerset County’s Commissioners see the value of Run of River as a major economic development initiative for the region,” said Kristina Cannon, Main Street Skowhegan’s Executive Director and Run of River Committee member leading fundraising and project management.

With permitting funding secured, Cannon and the Run of River Committee are fundraising for final design and construction. The team is currently working with a local firm to draft a constructability plan and cross-reference and finalize budget figures. The Town of Skowhegan has reserved $1.4 million for construction, leaving an estimated $6.5 million to be raised.

Once completed, Run of River will feature a river park with enhanced waves—including the Northeast’s only adjustable wave—for paddling, river surfing, standup paddle boarding, bodyboarding, and tubing. Skowhegan’s downtown Kennebec River gorge will become a go-to venue for whitewater competitions and events, drawing thousands of people to the region annually. A 2016 economic impact study estimates $6 million in increased spending in just the first year of operation, with an anticipated increase of $19 million by year 10.

“I’ve seen how other river parks around the country have revitalized their commercial districts, and I can’t wait for that to happen in Skowhegan with the completion of our very own paddle and surf park,” said Cannon. “We’re grateful to the Commissioners and TIF Committee for recognizing the potential and investing in the region’s future as an outdoor recreation destination.”

The $173,000 allocated to Run of River was one of five grants awarded to community groups and businesses in Somerset County. Please see below for the full list of awards with Commissioners’ comments:

• • • A grant to the Somerset County Humane Society/Shelter in the amount of $10K 

• • • A grant of $65K to the Valley Riders Snowmobile Club with $16,250.00 coming from the TIF and $48,750 coming from the Community Benefit Funds. In addition, another $65K loan which SEDC will administer as a low interest loan for the purchase of a used groomer.

“The club is responsible for close to 100 miles of trails. This award will help acquire an additional groomer to help keep the trails in good condition and will allow the club to continue to groom if the other groomer breaks down. Outdoor recreation is vital to numerous businesses in Somerset County bringing outside dollars and visitors to our region.”

• • • A grant to Bigelow Brewing Company $100K from the Community Benefit funds for the relocation and expansion to the new site located at 7 Island Avenue, Skowhegan.

“Bigelow Brewing continues to impress us all with their great beer and food offerings and really put Somerset County on the map for beer lovers. Their success has resulted in the need for more production space as they plan on increasing their brewing capacity 5 fold. Redeveloping the former Solon Manufacturing mill will be a great move for them as well as a wonderful opportunity to attract even more visitors to downtown Skowhegan.”

• • • A grant to the Run of the River Project $173K from the Community Benefit Funds for the licensing and permitting stage of the project.

“Run of River is a very unique concept. It will bring in outdoor enthusiasts from all over New England to downtown Skowhegan and it will also get people back on the Kennebec River. We feel this will result in new water activities not just in Skowhegan but also northward along the Kennebec which will help our rafting and paddling businesses north of here. We continue to be impressed by Main Street’s commitment and vision of this project and hope this award will help continue the momentum we’re all seeing lately.”

• • • A grant to Maine Plywood USA, LLC in Bingham in the amount of $50K in conjunction with SEDC’s loan approval of $100K with SEDC administering the loan portion on behalf of the County.

“The Commission is happy to support the redevelopment of the former Quimby mill in downtown Bingham. It will breathe new life into Bingham by creating over 100 jobs, providing contracts of over 100,000 tons of lumber annually, starting the only plywood mill in New England, and producing an American made, a Maine made product to offset foreign imports. We wish you luck in this endeavor and are pleased you selected Somerset County as your site location.”

• • • A grant to the Skowhegan Area Chamber of Commerce $12k from the Community Benefit funds for their new Welcome Center in Bingham.

“The traffic count along Rt. 201 is significant. We hope with this award, the Chamber can help promote local business and local attractions to those passing through. We also applaud you on opening up a welcome center in Madison.”

“I give the Commission a lot of credit in their forward-thinking approach on how to allocate some of the TIF and Community Benefits funds. These awards, and several other over the years, are a true testament of leveraging private-public partnerships with both businesses and meaningful projects throughout Somerset County,” said Christian Savage, Executive Director of Somerset Economic Development Corporation.

For more information about Run of River, please check out RunofRiver.org or contact Kristina Cannon at Kristina@mainstreetskowhegan.org or 207-614-4078.

For more information on other supported projects, contact Christian Savage at csavage@somersetcounty-me.org or 207-649-4255.