Corinna downtown poised to redevelop Town rallies after Superfund cleanup

CORINNA – The old saying “There may be snow on the roof but there’s a fire in the furnace” could be aptly applied to the town this winter.

Over the past decade, Corinna’s downtown was completely removed, Route 7 rerouted and the Sebasticook River moved to clean up contamination from the former Eastland Woolen Mill.

“Since I’ve been here, I’ve seen no one run out of steam,” new Town Manager Thomas Fitzmaurice said Friday. “This is a rare community.”

Townspeople banded together and planned the community’s rebirth, setting up guidelines and committees so that rebuilding would not be willy-nilly, but planned in a way that would allow the town to grow.

Now, with the Superfund cleanup completed, the town is poised to rebuild.

“It’s about time we reversed direction, and businesses are coming into town rather than leaving,” Selectman Galen McKenney said Friday. “It may take some time, but at least we are postured for redevelopment now.”

Over the past week, all eyes have been watching developments on a hill in the former Superfund site as the groundwork has begun for the Penquis Community Action Program, 20-unit senior housing and center.

All ears were hearing the construction as well, said Fitzmaurice, who said the contractors were forced to dynamite their way through 5 feet of frozen ground.

“We see that as the anchor, up there on the hill,” said McKenney, who added that all 20 units are reserved and there already is a waiting list for tenancy.

Several businesses have opened, including a consignment shop and a new pizzeria, while others are moving into larger quarters and expanding.

The Family Affair Restaurant is taking up residence in the former Oddfellows’ Building and will be joined by a general store and bakery.

A new livestock and animal bedding company, Northwoods Bedding, has opened, and development of a downtown walking trail is under way.

“We have plenty of property for sale,” said Fitzmaurice. “And now we are starting to get lots of interest, including one party who is interested in a mini-mall.”

The manager, who has been on the job for two months now, said conservative traffic counts place 8,000 cars a day through downtown on Route 7.

But that highway is in pretty rough shape, both as it enters and leaves Corinna’s downtown.

“I think the poor condition of that road is hindering some of our development,” said Fitzmaurice. The manager said he has been having conversations with the state Department of Transportation about the problem.

Meanwhile, the town’s 2005 proposed budget has been released. It focuses on some road construction and a roof for the public works garage.

Fitzmaurice said the budget remains at the same level as last year’s and will not affect the tax rate.

If it is passed by voters at the March town meeting, Fitzmaurice said, he will focus much more energy on the development of Main Street. “We will begin moving at a much faster pace,” he said.