June 2010

By Carol McCracken (Post # 507)

The large white tent on the grounds of the Ocean Gateway Int’l. Marine Terminal is up and other preparataions are on-going for the 5th annual benefit to fight childhood hunger throughout the State. Dozens of Maine’s best chefs and other “foodies” have joined talents to produce the largest fundraiser to date. The event takes place on Sunday, June 27th from 3 pm (for VIP ticket holders) or 4:30 pm for General Admission ticket holders) until 8 pm. Tickets may be purchased on-line at www.strength.org/portlandme. No tickets will be available at the event.

Beneficiares of this year’s event are: Preble Street Teen Center, Good Shepherd Food Bank, Cultivating Community and East End Kids Katering (PROP). All organizations are committed to ending hunger and poverty among Maine children. This year’s event hopes to raise $100,000 for these four orgaizations. The strength of early sales tickets makes this a possibility.

Twenty-six restaurants from around the state are participating in this year’s Taste of the Nation event. Portland favorites who are participating include Hugo’s, Cinque Terre, Fore Street, Evangeline and Back Bay Grill.

“Our Maine chefs are making national headlines for their talent and dedication to their craft,” noted Maine GovernorJohn Baldacci. “It’s important to remember, though, that so many of them have been known for years for their true sense of philanthropy when it comes to supporting so many important charitable causes throughout our state.”

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By Carol McCracken (Post # 506)

The City of Portland is offering a Free Event for Moms in Recovery. Anyone interested is invited to attend this event on Friday, June 25th between 10 am – 11:30 am. The location is at the Salvation Army, 297 Cumberland Avenue, Portland.

Please bring your children and your family. There will be games for children and healthy snacks for everyone. You can enter to win gift cards as well. Meet other moms in recovery as well.

The Portland Moms in Recovery Network offers women the opportunity to: talk about addiciton and recover in safe, non-judgmental space led by their peers, talk about parenting needs and challenges, cook together, and LAUGH together!

Please call Amanda at (207) 756-8053 for more information.

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By Carol McCracken (Post # 505)

A handful of interested neighbors attended an informational meeting late this afternoon regarding the pending application before the city’s planning board for Hamilton Marine, a major discount marine store, to move from its current location to 170 Anderson Street. It has been at its current location, 100 Fore Street, for the past 15 years.

The original application requested that the city change 170 Anderson Street from an industrial zone to a B5 zone. However, over the weekend, Jan Piribeck, the secretary of the East Bay Neighborhood Organization, suggested that the applicant reconsider this zoning request because of the neighborhood evaluation that is currently on-going is completed; it’s led by Alan Holt. With that new information, Brenda Buchanan, attorney, for the applicant changed her request to two zoning text amendments; one to permit “marine products wholesaling and retailing in any industrial, waterfront B6 zone’ and another regarding parking for a small number of retail customers.

Piribeck, an artist who lives in the area, said: “This is a good solution. It will relieve concern in the neighborhood. We are glad that the Compass Project will remain on the property. I’ll be happy to report this back to the East Bay Neighborhood Organization.” (See above photo.)

The public hearing before the planning board is scheduled for July 13th.

Please visit Post # 504, dated June 22, for more background information.

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Wayne and Loraine Hamilton: Started Hamilton Marine in 1977 in Searsport.

Hamilton Marine just got closer to a new inland facility this afternoon at a planning board workshop. The applicant, a 15 year resident of the Portland waterfront on Fore Street, had requested a zoning change that would permit this marine discount store to move to an industrial use zone at 170 Anderson Street.

However, the applicant recently learned that East Bayside is currently undergoing a neighborhood development plan. With that in mind, it’s been recommended by Councilor Kevin Donoghue that any zoning changes be put off until this planning process is completed. Because of this, Hamilton Marine today changed its approach and requested two text amendments that will be forthcoming: they are regarding parking and adding “marine products wholesaling and retailing” as amendments.

Testifying in support of the application were Robert Hark, an attorney, and resident of Anderson Street. He thought the marine business would fit well with the area and added there were no parking problems during the day. Pat Ryan, executive director, Compass Project, who already occupies space at 170 Anderson Street testified in support of the application as well. “There is already a nice marine atmosphere there. This will add to that,” she said. Ryan also said that Hamilton Marine has been a strong supporter of Compass Project in the past.

Tomorrow evening Hamilton Marine and its attorney, Brenda M. Buchanan, of 57 Exchange Street, will meet with interested parties at the East End Community School on North Street to answer questions on the application. The meeting begins at 5:30 pm.

The success story of Wayne and Loraine Hamilton is a quintessential one: growing up in Searsport on Penobscot Bay, he turned that love of the sea and boats into a marine supply outfitter that has weathered competition and economic uncertainities to become the largest marine supply business north of Boston. Currently, there are 5 stores in Maine. Hamilton has not ruled out adding another store to the chain, as long as it is in Maine.

The planning board stated it’s support for this application.

For more background information, please read post # 498, dated June 18th.

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