City of Portland Alerts

City News Round Up: Friday, July 24, 2026

City News Round Up: Friday, July 24, 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. 
  • Read a recap of the July 20 City Council meeting. The next City Council meeting is a double meeting on Monday, August 24 at 4PM and 5:30PM.

NEED TO KNOW

  • We're working hard to complete the Congress Square intersection improvements by August 31!
  • The 24th annual Festival of Nations is this Saturday, July 25, 10 AM - 4 PM in Deering Oaks Park.
  • Road crews will install the temporary safety features on Commercial Street, from Dana Street to Franklin Street, with the bulk of the work taking place at a community paint day on Sunday, July 26. On the same day local artist, Marissa Joly, will be painting a mural at the end of Dana Street.
  • The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Barque EAGLE arrived in Portland today and will remain in port through July 27. “America’s Tall Ship” will offer free public tours, providing the community a unique opportunity to step aboard the historic training vessel! Public tours are offered: July 24: 12:30 PM to 7:00 PM, July 25: 10 AM to 4 PM, July 26: 10 AM to 4 PM. Tours are free and open to the public.
  • You're invited to the 2026 Siren Cup this Saturday, July 25, at 2PM at William B. Troubh Ice Arena! Admission is FREE, and all proceeds benefit the Portland Firefighters Children’s Burn Foundation.

LATEST NEWS AND CITY EVENTS

  • We're partnering with Trellis Health to launch a pilot program that will provide 200 eligible employees with access to a new model of primary care designed to expand access, improve employee health, and address rising healthcare costs.
  • We're launching a strategic plan to create a healthier tree canopy. The Portland Parks Conservancy, in partnership with the City, is developing an Urban Forest Master Plan to preserve, grow, and care for the urban forest. Check out the project website to learn how to get involved! 
  • Slow Down, We Walk Here. A new community-driven pedestrian safety campaign is running this summer in Portland to address the growing number of pedestrian fatalities and serious crashes. Yard signs encouraging drivers to slow down are now available! Please email info@portlandmaine.gov if you’d like one.
  • 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. 

CITY SERVICES

  • 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.


SHAPE YOUR CITY

COMMUNITY NEWS

  • Blood donors are urgently needed throughout Maine and across the country. Schedule an appointment today!
  • We're collecting backpacks for the 11th annual Fill-A-Backpack Challenge through Monday, August 17! 
  • Check out our Park Events Calendar for a list of events, including the many summer concert series happening in the parks! 
  • In honor of International Overdose Awareness Day (August 31), Portland Public Health is hosting a FREE Community Narcan Training on August 3. Join us at the Equality Community Center from 5:30-6:30 PM to learn life-saving skills, ask our expert staff your questions, and leave with your own Narcan! No registration required. Direct additional questions to: PSanborn@PortlandMaine.Gov.
  • Save the date for National Night Out happening Tuesday, August 4, 2-4PM at the Fox Field Futsal Courts.
  • Third Wednesdays: There’s a new street art activation program in the heart of the Arts District! Join them next on August 19.
  • 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.
  • 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: Neighborhood Drainage and Sewer System Repairs 2025-2028. Gorham Sand & Gravel plans to start work on Concord Street West on Tuesday, July 21.
     

PARKS, RECREATION AND FACILITIES UPDATES

  • Park Ranger Hike Club walks are every other Saturday in different locations throughout the city. The next hike is this Saturday, July 25, 10 AM - 12 PM at Baxter Woods (Meet at the Main Entrance, 555 Stevens Ave).
  • Riverton Pool Update: Due to additional structural and mechanical issues discovered during repair work on the pool, the City Council approved $1.6M in additional funding for the Riverton Pool reconstruction project. In the coming weeks, we will issue a Request for Proposals for a new Construction Management firm to complete the project. Project staff are working to expedite the project for completion by Summer 2027.
  • Join us to learn about the state of Portland’s urban forest, why we are creating a Portland Urban Forest Management Plan, and how you can participate! Public info sessions with City Arborist Mark Reiland, are coming up on July 30, August 3, and August 5. 
  • Dougherty Field: We are actively working to secure a contract to complete the planned remediation of the soil stockpiles at Dougherty Field in accordance with Maine Department of Environmental Protection best practices. Staff continue to monitor the site in the meantime, including checking the plastic covers over the soil stockpiles, and repairing/replacing them if they become displaced. We have an environmental consultant under contract to provide ongoing oversight through regular inspections and dust monitoring, as well as another contract for third-party reporting to ensure conditions remain safe and in compliance with environmental requirements.
  • Park Ranger Hike Club walks are every other Saturday in different locations throughout the city. The next hike is this Saturday, July 25, 10 AM - 12 PM at Baxter Woods (Meet at the Main Entrance, 555 Stevens Ave).
  • Site improvements to the parking lot area at Riverton Trolley Park start August 3!
  • 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. 
  • Register your teen today for the last two Youth Outbound Adventures! Echo Lake State Park  on July 27, and Saco River Tubing on August 3.  
  • Join Wild Seed Project for a Summer Native Plant Walk at Evergreen Cemetery Tuesday, July 28, 4-5:30 PM.
  • 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.
  • A mid-summer rest period for select grass fields starts July 26. 
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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

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