06/10/2024
I don't post many very personal thoughts or feels here on the Facehole but this must be shared. I'm writing to share with you all some bittersweet yet very exciting news. Please read on.
Change is inevitable and quite often, hard. When confronted with this challenge, I believe that we’re better people when we embrace it, learn from it, and make the most of it. I’ve been working with Friends of Fort Gorges for ten years. If you had told me ten years ago that I’d be writing this today, I’m not sure that I would’ve believed you. I’m very proud of all that we’ve accomplished together and look forward to assisting as our work continues to evolve. After years of hosting community events, tours, and world-class arts, I’m confident that the fort will continue to be a source of great enjoyment and economic development in Portland and we could not have done this without your generous support. Thank you.
In 2018, Fort Gorges was confronted with a very serious threat of commercial development. Thanks to you, the City of Portland was forced to choose between keeping Fort Gorges as a park or creating a mall and you made it clear that a park was your priority. 92% of you to be exact. I consider this to be one of our greatest achievements and I thank you for it.
Under my tenure, some of the milestones that you helped me achieve include a $500K safety upgrade through the US Army Corp of Engineers, the fort’s first preservation plan, a digital scan of the property, a first of its kind MOU, world class cultural events, and numerous productive stakeholder relationships. Thank you.
Fast forward to 2024, and we’re currently in the running for much-needed funding to rebuild the fort’s wharf through a federal earmark (AKA Congressionally Directed Spending) and there’s an exciting partnership with Maine College of Art & Design that‘s soon-to-be announced. There are numerous other projects that continue to progress behind the scenes and require time & talent to bring to fruition. None of this would have been possible without your years of generous support. Thank you.
And now, it is with very mixed emotions - excitement, anticipation, hope, and an abundance of gratitude - that I announce my departure as Executive Director of Friends of Fort Gorges. While I may be stepping aside, I will not be walking away. That said, the mission to keep Fort Gorges accessible to the public needs your support more now than ever before. As the fort can no longer be my personal and professional focus, it is absolutely critical that those of you who care about Fort Gorges take this opportunity to play a more active role. Please reach out to me or any of our trustees to learn more about how you can help keep our mission on track and moving forward. The Friends need volunteers, board members, time, talent, and yes, financial support.
In my new position as Active Transportation Director at Bicycle Coalition of Maine, I will continue to work closely with our community only instead of just Casco Bay, my work will take me around the entire state. If you know me, you know that I’m very passionate about work that improves our quality of life and this new position has the potential to have a profound positive impact for the people of Maine. At its heart, this new position intersects and overlaps with transportation, safety, public health, equity, economic development, and environmental responsibility. These sectors are inextricably linked to active transportation and if you’re curious about this, please reach out, I’d love to connect.
In closing, there are simply too many people to thank here but I must, at the very least, mention our dedicated trustees who have shepherded the mission with great care and generosity. Thank you to all our dedicated trustees - past, present, and future. This is not a goodbye, it’s a hello from a different perspective. Thank you for all you’ve done and continue to do.
In gratitude,
PD
