Spring Point Shoreway
South Portland, Maine

In 1978, a Master Plan for Spring Point Shoreway was completed, a mile long section of city and state waterfront. This greenbelt park encompasses Willard Beach, an historic cemetery, the campus of Southern Maine Community College, Fort Preble, Spring Point Lighthouse and Spring Point Marina.

This six-year construction project turned an under-utilized area into one of the most popular parks in the Greater Portland area, with attendance going from 30,000 to over 130,000 visitors annually.

Spring Point Shoreway features three playgrounds and waterfront walkways. The shoreway overlooks picnic areas and extensive plantings. A seaside arboretum displays over 80 species of trees, shrubs, groundcovers, and perennials that were selected for their tolerance to the demanding growing conditions of this ecologically sensitive zone. A series of interpretive signs explain the natural, cultural and social history of the park and region.

The Shoreway was the 1985 recipient of the Project of the Year award presented by the Maine Association of Planners.