A LAND WITH A LONG HISTORY
This shoreline has evolved over thousands of years, shaped by ice and human use alike. It has served as a Wabanaki food gathering site, a shipyard, a gasification plant, a coal pocket, and eventually a contaminated brownfield.
Today, restoring this land as a public meadow represents a shift toward care, healing, and shared stewardship. It is a response rooted in responsibility to both the land and the community.
THE CURRENT TIMELINE
With a vision shared by the landowners and a few dedicated residents of Bath, what would be known as the Meadow Conservancy was begun in 2024. The investor development considered for this one-acre parcel was to build four separate dwellings. But the landowners wished to keep the property without development and with a view of the river for the community. In consideration of this goal, to have a public piece of nature instead of development, the initial purchase of land was made with a reduced purchase price of $700,000, from what was estimated as a commercial price of $1.5 million. The group that purchased the land became an official community initiative non-profit organization to secure the loan. This group of local residents made a down payment of $400,000 and formed the board of directors to manage the non-profit and begin the work.
The following timeline is in order of most recent to past events.
For information and guidelines on visiting the meadow, see the FAQs Section
Join us for A Taste of Spring on Saturday, March 14 from 4–6 PM at the Winter Street Center. Celebrate the season with light bites from our pollinator grazing table, a honey tasting, and interactive stations exploring the connection between meadows, pollinators, and our vision for a meadow in downtown Bath!
We’re also excited to welcome guest speaker and Penobscot Tribal historian James Francis who will be speak about an Indigenous sense of place and the deep connections between land, language, and identity.
This is an all-ages event, with activities and food for kids and adults alike.
A $10 suggested donation supports our work to create a native meadow and community park in downtown Bath.
Visit our Facebook event and reserve your spot today!!
12/29/2025
Community Events and Partnerships are starting to come to life
RSU1: Bath Middle School, Morse High School, and Bath Tech Collaboration
Thanks to Ray Bernier and his carpentry students at Bath Tech, we will have a custom tool shed in the meadow this spring!
Also, beginning in April, high school and middle school students will be in the meadow to learn about invasive plants and help remove them. We are happy to include the RSU1 schools as a learning and activity partner.
Sagadahoc Preservation Event - A Taste of Spring
March 14, our fundraising and event partner will co-sponsor a meet and greet and a guest speaker at the Winter Street Church.
12/29/2025
Exciting news! Matching Grant of $200,000
In this giving season, we are so thankful for a generous Matching gift of $200,000 in order to pay off the mortgage on the field and begin making the meadow.
To access this all-or-nothing matching gift, Kennebec Riverview Meadow Conservancy must raise $200,000.
We have raised $70,000 in pledges toward this goal, with $130,000 to go. The value of all donations will be doubled. Please consider a no-risk pledge today that will come due only after $130,000 more in pledges or donations has been raised.
To pledge, please contact us at KennebecRiverview@gmail.com
12/29/2025
December Newsletter
10/03/2025
Take a seat
Through the donation of 22 pine stumps, we have circles of seating around the meadow. These stumps are 15 years old, so they will not have sticky sap that will get on clothes. Please enjoy the view with a quiet place to sit!
08/10/2025
A path through
This weekend, we’ve carved our first path through the meadow. The new path meanders up to about the middle of the meadow, keeping a distance from the still unstable shoreline.
08/9/2025
Volunteer Work Day - Fence De-vining
We are excited to announce that it’s time to prepare the meadow for its first visitors, and we’d love for you to be a part of it. A community work session, when we will clear the main gate of vines and prepare for mowing a path into the meadow soon. This is a wonderful opportunity to get a first look at the space and, although it’s not a meadow yet, you’ll get a feel for what will be coming in time.
Details for the Work Session: Date: This coming Saturday, August 9th, Time: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM, Location: The Meadow on Front Street, Please bring: Work gloves and your preferred garden tools
We are so grateful for your support and hope you can join us. Refreshments! We'll provide well-deserved refreshments for all our volunteers.
On Saturday, 10 volunteers met at the field to ‘de-vine’ the fence that had been overtaken by vines. Marvelous work by the crew. Thanks to all who participated.
07/21/2025
July Newsletter
02/25/2025
Transforming a Vacant Lot into a Vibrant Meadow: A Community's Vision
Public Meeting #2 Feb 25, 2025
In a heartening display of community spirit, about 30 residents from the Bath area came together at the Patten Library to explore the exciting prospects for Kennebec Riverview and The Meadow by the River. Our local expert on meadows and rewilding, KDB, passionately discussed the crucial role of wild spaces and meadows in our environment.
KRV Board member Roz provided an encouraging financial update, announcing that an impressive $400,000 has been raised in just the past four months. Following this, Lily, another KRV Board member, unveiled the first conceptual vision of the meadow we’ve been collectively dreaming about.
This ambitious plan sparked lively discussions on various important aspects, including seating (chairs, benches), accessibility, safety measures, signage, and more. The community's enthusiasm was palpable as everyone brainstormed ideas and envisioned a natural oasis flourishing from what is currently a vacant lot.
In closing, there was an inspiring call for volunteers to contribute in myriad ways—from letter writing and event planning to outreach efforts. The meeting left attendees feeling invigorated and hopeful about their role in transforming the landscape into a rich, vibrant meadow.
02/20/2025
Public Meeting #2 Feb 25, 2025
Get inspired with KDB the Meadow Maker and her talk on meadow & river ecology. See a concept plan for the meadow.
Offer your ideas & Hear the news, Lite Bites
Tuesday, February 25, 2025, 5:30-6:30 at the Patton Library.
01/28/2025
Riverwalk public feedback session
The Presentation, Recording and Meeting Notes for the January 28, Neighbors meeting by the Bath Planning board are now available online.
Jan 11, 2025
Planning Board Meeting
The Bath Planning Board meeting, where changes were made to the site plan for the Riverwalk condos.
Nov, 2024
“My husband Bill King often said, ‘We need to connect the community to the river.’ I am hoping that we here now decide to “take care” of this open land and let it be our bridge to the river for generations to come.”
— Jayne Palmer
Jayne Palmer and Bill King
