Massage service rubs council the wrong way

A couple of new-age entrepreneurs who hoped to provide a massage service twice a week at West Market Square had their request denied Wednesday by a committee of the Bangor City Council.

Patience Eye and Mark Lewis run Healing Touch Therapeutic Massage in Brewer. They specialize in on-site massage. With their training and a specially designed chair, they cater to customers at work or at home.

They had planned to set up at noon Tuesdays and Thursdays on West Market Square and, perhaps, Cascade Park. It would be part service, stress reduction, and part promotion, free advertising, Eye told members of the Municipal Operations Committee.

Lewis set up the special chair in the council chambers. The client sits face forward, with face, torso, forearms, buttocks and legs supported by padded arms.

“On-site massage is done right in the workplace and takes no longer than a coffee break — five to 15 minutes,” according to a brochure. “It leaves the client feeling relaxed, refreshed, rejuvenated and ready to face the rest of the busy work day with a renewed perspective.”

Eye asked for volunteers from the assembled councilors and Jane Saxl responded. After a short demonstration, Saxl pronounced the results “delicious.”

The assembled councilors were not swayed.

A couple of councilors asked Eye and Lewis if they had liablity insurance. “Nobody has ever successfully sued a massage therapist,” Eye replied. She added they would consider purchasing the necessary insurance.

City Manager Edward Barrett, however, said to councilors, “You need to be careful that uses you allow in our parks be related to traditional enjoyments of the park.

“I see no difference between this and giving permission to an insurance salesman or a chiropractor to set up in one of the parks,” he said. “My tendency would be to say that this is something I would not recommend.”

But he also said that such a service might fit in with the commercial aspects of the waiting area of the domestic terminal at Bangor International Airport.

The committee voted to recommend that Eye and Lewis talk to Airport Manager Peter D’Errico about the possiblity of setting up shop at the airport.