City News Round Up: Friday, August 14, 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

• Temporary road closures and detours are required in Payson Park on Wednesday and Thursday, August 19 and 20, for the installation of two raised speed tables with crosswalks on Arboretum Road, and one raised speed table with a crosswalk on Catafalque Drive. During the last week of August, Arboretum Road and Catafalque Drive will also be restriped to provide bicycle lanes. This work is part of the Payson Park Traffic Calming Project.
• Heads up for a MaineDOT Parking Ban for 368-954 Congress Street on August 24, 25, 26 and 27 from 8:00 PM - 6:00 AM. We hope for voluntary compliance with this parking ban but vehicles will be ticketed and towed if necessary.

LATEST NEWS AND CITY EVENTS

• Save the date! A public meeting is coming up for the Reimagining Franklin project to share the draft design concept. The meeting will be held on Thursday, September 10, at the Portland Public Library, Rines Auditorium (5 Monument Square) from 5:30 to 7:30PM. A preview of the draft plan will be posted to the website in advance of the meeting. Sign up here to stay up to date on the project!
• Congratulations to our City Historic Preservation team recognized by the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions with the 2026 Best Practices in Technology Award! Watch the award video shown during the ceremony! Our team accepted the award at the July 2026 Commission Excellence Awards Celebration, at the organization's biennial conference, FORUM 2026: Preservation Currents, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 
• Join Portland Parks Conservancy and City staff on Thursday, August 20 for a Walk & Talk at Dougherty Field and the Rising Eddy Community Pool from 4-5 PM. Hear the story behind Portland's newest community pool, the partnerships that made it possible, and the importance of water safety and equitable access to swimming. Attendees will also enjoy a guided tour inside the pool facility.
• 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 with your address if you’d like one.
• Read the results of the enhanced traffic safety operation the Police Department conducted August 3, aimed at improving roadway safety for everyone who lives, works, and travels in Portland. Increased traffic enforcement will continue in the weeks and months ahead, and is one of the objectives listed in our Vision Zero Action Plan to reduce pedestrian incidents.  

CITY SERVICES

• Absentee ballots can now be requested for the November 3 election. Request online through the State’s website, or learn other ways on our website. Ballots will be sent out once they are ready in October. Maine residents can now register to vote, update registration details, or change party status online. 
• We're developing a GIS-based mapping tool that will help staff better understand how sea level rise will impact our shoreline.

SHAPE YOUR CITY

• Volunteers Needed! The City Clerk's office is seeking applications for various board and committee positions. Find the full position descriptions and how to apply on our website. The application deadline is Sunday, August 30; applicants will be contacted for interviews. 
• Take this quick community survey about the Portland Urban Forest Management Plan - open until September 20, 2026.
• 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. 

COMMUNITY NEWS

• 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.
• Third Wednesdays: There’s a new street art activation program in the heart of the Arts District! Join them next on August 19.
• Concerts on Congress returns next week on August 20! The City is proud to co-sponsor these events.
• Volunteers are needed to help bring this year’s Porchfest to life on Sunday, September 13, 12–5 PM, in Deering Center.
• Blood donors are urgently needed throughout Maine and across the country. Schedule an appointment today! 
• 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

• In late July, road crews installed temporary road safety features on Commercial Street for the Safe Streets for All temporary demo project. You may notice picnic tables or planters in a few parking spaces. These spaces have been removed in order to create better visibility of pedestrians. Two handicap parking spaces have been relocated across the street. Read more about the project. 
• We're working hard to complete the Congress Square intersection improvements by August 31!
• We'd like to thank MaineDOT for the major infrastructure boost! MaineDOT has tripled the number of improvement projects it has in Portland this year over last year. 
• 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

• The Maine Mural Festival is this weekend, Friday-Sunday, along Back Cove Trail. 
• The next Park Ranger Hike Club walk is this Saturday, August 15, 10AM-12PM at the Riverton Trolley Park (822 Riverside St).
• The sidewalk upgrade in Deering Oaks Park is almost complete! Paving Tennis Court Road, alongside the new sidewalk, will begin in August.
• Read the latest updates in the July 2026 newsletter or subscribe. 
• Work with us! Portland Recreation is seeking childcare site staff to join our After the Bell program. Help us offer exciting and enriching activities for students (Kindergarten-5th grade), right in their own school.
• The Portland Parks Conservancy, in partnership with the City, is developing an Urban Forest Master Plan to create a healthier tree canopy. Check out the project website to learn how to get involved! A public workshop will be held on September 17, 5-7PM, at Merrill Auditorium. 
• Site improvements to the parking lot area at Riverton Trolley Park began August 3. The Reiche Playground Renovation Project is also now underway.
• A Portland MyRec account is the key to all recreation programs in Portland! Create your account household today so you can be ready to register for programs/activities, reserve facilities, access aquatics, and more!
• Summer discount tickets are available for Funtown Splashtown and Aquaboggan Water Park! 
• 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. 
• Safety Alert: Union Branch Multi-Use Pathway Under Construction. Please be aware that the Union Branch Path Trail is still an active construction site.
• 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 our July Employee of the Month, Kaela Gonzalez! She is recognized for her exceptional work ethic and unwavering positivity as a Program Coordinator on our Housing and Economic Development team.
• We’re hiring a Housing Program Specialist to work with us on our Housing and Economic Development team. 
• 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!