Augusta! Want Bicentennial Nature Park to Open This Summer? You Can Help Tuesday!

Last summer, Bicentennial Nature Park on Route 3 in Augusta didn't open because of budget woes. This year, a group calling itself "Friends of Bicentennial Nature Park," is trying, through private funding, to make sure it opens in time for this year's hot weather and you can help this Tuesday night!

Starting Tuesday (4/30) evening at 5:30, there is a fundraiser going on at Charlamagne's on Water Street in downtown Augusta. It's a chance for you to help out simply by stopping by and enjoying yourself! There will be two Red Sox tix up for grabs as part of the benefit, too!

Cheryl Clukey (or, as she says she's known, Julia's mom) is the Chair for Augusta's Recreation Advisory Board and, in conjunction with the Augusta Rotary, which is lead by Dave Kahl, they're working to ramp up interest and get donations from businesses and individuals who want to pitch in. In fact, if you'd like information about other ways you can help out, email Dave!

The cost to open and run the park for the summer is about $40,000 which, in the world of municipal budgets, seems like a drop in the bucket. Help if you can. This park, as Cheryl pointed out during our chat this morning, is a local treasure on Three Cornered Pond that shouldn't sit idle when residents could be enjoying it.

Here's a description of the park on the "Friends" Facebook page:

Bicentennial Nature Park, established in 2001, is situated on approximately 27 acres located six miles from Augusta. Site includes picnicking, swimming, fishing and hiking and is replete with beautiful scenery and wildlife.