City News Round Up: Friday, July 10, 2026 

UPCOMING MEETINGS

• Please check our agenda center for the full schedule of upcoming Council, Committees, Boards, and Commission meetings, and to view agendas, backup materials, and videos from past meetings. 
• The next City Council meeting is a special, double meeting on Monday, July 20, at 4 PM and 5:30 PM. The August double meeting is on August 24.

NEED TO KNOW

• Heads up! On Saturday, July 18, Cutter Street and the ramp will be closed until 1:00 PM for the Peaks to Portland swim.

LATEST NEWS AND CITY EVENTS

• Did you know? We partner with Maine Healthy Beaches Program for East End Beach Regular Water Testing. To ensure a safe environment for all swimmers, paddlers, and beachgoers, our Park Rangers conduct routine water quality testing at East End Beach every Monday and Wednesday morning from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Learn more about Portland's partnership with Maine Healthy Beaches.
• The Portland Public Art Committee has selected Wabanaki artist Gabriel Frey to create a new public artwork for First Light Commons, Portland's new waterfront park that is currently under construction. Frey's proposed artwork, Amewin, depicts a Wabanaki spear fisherman holding a traditional fishing spear. The Committee's selection reflected the site's prominent location along Portland's waterfront and the opportunity to honor, reflect, and celebrate the region's cultural heritage and enduring relationship with the waters of Casco Bay.
• We're pleased to announce that we're in the process of being awarded a $2.12 million federal grant to support the Brighton Avenue Safety Demonstration Project, a data-driven initiative designed to improve safety for all road users along a critical one-mile segment of Brighton Avenue and further the City’s commitment to eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries.
• James A. Banks Expo Update: After identifying a budget gap, staff have temporarily paused the project to envision the future of this facility and will submit a CIP request in the 2028 cycle to secure the necessary funding. 
• Portland Landcare Lunch Break: Urban Tree Health Special guest Mark Reiland, our City arborist, joins us for the second webinar in the series on July 14, 12-1 PM. Mark will tell us about our urban trees, why they matter, and what we can do to protect them. Register to attend.

CITY SERVICES

• New Payment Option for Stormwater Customers We are offering a lower cost option to pay your stormwater invoice online. We will transition away from the current site, MyOnlineBill, during July; it will stop working on August 1, 2026. All auto-payment information stored on that site will be deleted. Customers can set up the auto-pay feature on the new self-service website.
• We’re seeking qualified partners interested in collaborating to operate a low-barrier winter warming shelter during the 2026-2027 season. 
• Job Creation Grants: Applications Now Open. The City's Business Assistance Program for Job Creation (BAP) provides reimbursement-based matching grants of up to $20,000 to new and expanding for-profit Portland businesses. Apply by August 3, 2026.

VISION ZERO UPDATES
Portland has joined cities across the country and the world that are working toward a goal to reduce the number of severe crashes (fatalities and serious injuries) to zero. 

• The Council’s Sustainability & Transportation Committee meeting on July 8 focused on pedestrian safety updates and action items City staff are working on to increase pedestrian safety and improve our transportation infrastructure. If you missed the meeting, you can watch the recording.
   
• Slow Down, We Walk Here. A new community-driven pedestrian safety campaign is running this summer in Portland, Lewiston, and Auburn to address the growing number of pedestrian fatalities and serious crashes across the state. Yard signs are now available! Please email info@portlandmaine.gov if you’d like one.
• We’re collaborating with GPCOG on another Safe Streets for All demonstration project on Commercial St. (Dana St to Franklin St). This work includes the installation of temporary road safety improvements to test functionality and gather public feedback before permanent changes are considered. Listen to this recent Let’s Connect podcast to learn more.
   

SHAPE YOUR CITY

• Shape Federal Funding Locally: Please take our community survey by September 15 to help guide how local housing and community development programs will run moving forward. Each year, the City receives funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). These federal grants are crucial for local community development and housing initiatives.
• Portland in Motion: We're developing a new transportation plan, the first in over 30 years, and we hope you'll get involved! Please take 5-minutes to fill out the questionnaire to let us know what's working, what isn't, and what your big ideas are for our streets, sidewalks, and transit.
• Help Us Improve Water Quality! Our City Water Resources staff is seeking public input to help identify opportunities for improving water quality at Dole Brook. You can help by participating in their online mapping tool. The area includes: Riverside Industrial Parkway, streets north of Forest Ave between Tucker and Eastwind, most of Plymouth St, PATHS, Delaware Court, Pennell Ave, and streets west of Washington Ave between Cypress and Riverside, including the Palmer Ave area.
• We have one open seat on our Rent Board. Visit our Boards and Committees portal to learn more; applicants must live in District 5. Please direct additional questions to: rentboard@portlandmaine.gov. Contact the Portland City Clerk to apply: alombard@portlandmaine.gov, 207-756-8385.

COMMUNITY NEWS

• Third Wednesdays: There’s a new street art activation program in the heart of the Arts District! Third Wednesdays happens next on July 15.
• Eastern Prom Concert Series Mark your calendar for "Thursdays on the Prom" - these free community concerts run through August 27, all at 6 PM. 
• Western Prom Summer Concerts Bookmark the schedule for Wednesday evening concerts returning soon! 
• The Alpha Legal Foundation AmeriCorps Legal Access Navigator Program hosts free civil legal education workshops every Friday, 1-2 PM at the Portland Public Library. 

PUBLIC WORKS UPDATES

• Check the full 2026 Paving Projects list for the latest updates.
• New Update: The Commercial Street/Portland Fish Pier Storm Drain Improvements project began Monday, July 6. Construction will be focused on the Fish Pier property from July through the end of September. Traffic impacts on Commercial Street are expected to be minimal for the first few months of the project until the work moves into the roadway in October. Learn more and sign up for updates.
• Licensed Commercial Waste Haulers: Reminder to residents and contractors that City Code requires the use of a City licensed waste hauler for all building renovations or construction projects. Hiring a licensed hauler ensures compliance with City Code regarding disposal methods. 
• Ongoing: Hersey St. Sewer Separation Project Ocean Ave reduced to a single lane as of April 20.
• Ongoing Neighborhood Drainage and Sewer System Repairs 2025-2028
   

PARKS, RECREATION AND FACILITIES UPDATES

• Please check REC Calendars: Tracks and courts are shared spaces and a home base for many of our youth programs. To ensure you don't arrive during a closed session, please check the MyRec Calendar before your visit. 
• The Rising Eddy Community pool is now open! Find answers to all of your questions on our Know Before you Go webpage. Find ALL Splash Pad locations and details. 
• A Portland MyRec account is the key to all recreation programs in Portland, create your account today!
• Read the latest updates in the June 2026 newsletter or subscribe. 
• Safety Alert: Union Branch Multi-Use Pathway Under Construction. Please be aware that the Union Branch Path Trail is still an active construction site.
• Park Ranger Hike Club walks are every other Saturday in different locations throughout the city. The next is Saturday, July 11, meet at the Deering Oaks Ranger Castle at 10 AM.
• The Reiche Playground Renovation Project is now underway.
• Summer discount tickets are now available for Funtown Splashtown and Aquaboggan Water Park! 
• Summer Youth, Teen, Adult, and Family Programs have been added - visit Portland MyRec Programs to sign up! Tennis in the Parks registration is open: learn more about Youth sessions and Adult sessions in July.
• Registration is now open (through July 24) for Recreation PAYSA Youth Soccer. The fall season will take place in September and October, with games beginning on September 5. Find detailed information for each division.
• Join The Friends of Evergreen for historic one-hour walking tours this summer! View the schedule. Meet at the cemetery office, 672 Stevens Ave. Tours are $5 for ages 18 and over. 

CITY STAFF & JOB OPPORTUNITIES

• Congratulations to retiring City staff member, Rob Wiener, who has been recognized as a Greater Portland Landmarks 2026 Preservation Award Winner!
• We are hiring across several departments, with a variety of open positions: healthcare roles (RNs/CNAs), trades workers, before and after-school recreation counselors, lifeguards, 911 dispatchers, community health workers, and more. Come make a difference with us! Our wellness benefits are award winning.