Our natural seating areas! Sit and stay awhile to relax in nature. Or come by with a group and have circle time in the Meadow.

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

MEADOW NEWS

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

Feb 22, 2026

A Taste of Spring Event - Make your plans to attend!

Facebook Event

Event poster titled "A Taste of Spring" scheduled for Saturday, March 14, from 4 to 6 pm at Winter Street Center, 880 Washington St. Features activities like food, drinks, conversation, and educational stations including pollinator tables and kids activities. Highlights guest speaker James Francis, a tribal historian, speaking from 5:30 to 6 pm about indigenous land and culture. Suggested donation is $10. The poster has floral and nature illustrations, a QR code, and logos for Meadow Conservancy and the Winter Street Center.

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!!

Feb 17, 2026

Feb Newsletter

Event flyer for Meadow Conservancy's 'A Taste of Spring' on Saturday, March 14, from 4 to 6 pm at Winter Street Center, featuring pollinator grazing tables, kids' activities, honey tasting, gardening tips, and a talk by James Francis.
Flyer promoting a winter event with a QR code, a donation suggestion of $10, and an illuminated insect sculpture against a dusk sky.

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.

A promotional flyer featuring pink flowers, butterflies, and foliage on a dark green background, advertising a spring event titled 'A Taste of Spring' scheduled for March 14th from 4 to 6 PM.
Logo of Sagadahoc Preservation, Inc. with a graphic of cars and a steeple church in a green landscape.
Exterior view of the Bath Regional Career & Technical Center building with a large sign reading "Bath Tech" and the full name, with a curved driveway and green landscaping in front.

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

Thermometer graphic showing a fundraising goal of $200,000, with the current amount raised at $70,000.

12/29/2025

December Newsletter

Fundraising letter from Meadow Conservancy, a project of Kennebec Riverview nonprofit, requesting donations to reach a $200,000 goal, with a progress thermometer showing $70,000 raised and $130,000 remaining; includes contact email for pledges.
A flyer titled "Community Events & Partnerships" with holiday lights at the top. It announces the "Lighting of the HOLIDAY BEE!" event, thanking volunteers, and mentioning a bee flying in the meadow. It details an elegant dinner and silent auction on March 14 at Winter Street Chapel, with more info in the January newsletter. It also highlights Morse High & Bath Middle Schools' invasive plant removal in April, and a custom toolshed for Bath Tech students, with a photo of students working outdoors.

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!

Pathway with tree stumps on each side leading towards a river, with dry tall grass and a distant bridge over the water.

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.

A man standing outdoors with a lawn mower, smiling and waving, on a grassy area with trees in the background.
A grassy path leading through a field of tall dry grass, with a row of trees and a house in the background on a clear sunny day.

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.

A group of ten people standing outdoors near a chain-link fence, holding trash bags and gloves, with a lake and trees in the background, participating in a community cleanup event. A dog is lying on the ground to the right.

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

Newsletter cover for July 2025 titled "Meadow by the River" with a background of a meadow with yellow flowers and blue sky, featuring headings about promoting a natural sanctuary, access paths, and community activities.

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.

Hand-drawn map of a parkfront area with winding yellow pathways, trees, small blue pools, and a red building or structure, with 'Front St.' written at the top.
A large group of people attending a presentation or lecture in a conference room with a man speaking at the front, a large blue screen, and ceiling lights.
A historic castle with beige brick walls, red stone roofs, and tall towers, set against a clear blue sky and surrounded by green trees and grass.

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.

Flyer promoting a public meeting at Kennebec RiverView with information about a talk on meadow and river ecology, a concept plan for the meadow, and a talk by Katie the Meadow Maker. The flyer invites people to offer ideas, hear the news, and visit meadowbytheriver.com. The event is scheduled for Tuesday, February 25, from 5:30 to 6:30 PM at the library. The top of the flyer features an image of wildflowers and a blue sky.

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.

A large tree with green leaves standing near a body of water, with a sunset casting a warm glow on the scene. There is a fence and some shrubs in the foreground, and trees and houses across the water in the background.
Map showing a one-mile shoreline along a body of water, with marked locations at the North End Boat Launch and Linwood E. Temple Waterfront Park.

Jan 11, 2025

Planning Board Meeting

The Bath Planning Board meeting, where changes were made to the site plan for the Riverwalk condos.

The Bath City Hall building decorated with American flags and bunting for a patriotic event, with a clock on a streetlamp in the foreground.

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

An elderly woman and a middle-aged man standing together at an indoor event, both smiling and looking at the camera.

Jayne Palmer and Bill King