LEWISTON – Mayor Laurier T. Raymond Jr. will officially dedicate the new Courthouse Plaza during a grand opening celebration on Thursday, July 3.

Courthouse Plaza, which is located in downtown Lewiston, has been in the works since 1999 when two vacant commercial buildings were demolished. The initial budget for the downtown urban park and gathering place was around $320,000, but the lowest bid for the project came in at $614,000. When city officials considered changing the design and rebidding the work, L/A Arts offered their help in raising money for the budget overrun.

When the city increased their budget for Courthouse Plaza to $390,000, L/A Arts expanded their Arts Place Capital Campaign to help raise up to $295,000. The campaign, which is still under way, was expanded to ensure the original design of the plaza. Funds from the campaign will also be used for renovations to the building owned by L/A Arts at 84 Lisbon St.

Members of the Downtown Advisory Board, along with some downtown business owners and residents, worked with a consultant to design the plaza. The waterfall, paving bricks and landscape, which were all part of the initial design, can also be seen with new steel benches and trash cans.

Dedication ceremonies are scheduled to begin at noon on Thursday with an eclectic vocal group, Zing. The 18-member group is the second performance in an 18-part summer concert series organized by L/A Arts. Half of the series will be held Thursdays at Courthouse Plaza, while the other nine performances are scheduled for Tuesdays at Auburn’s Festival Plaza.

The free concerts and entertainment during grand opening ceremonies, which will run from 12 to 5 p.m., also include performances by Bait the Hook, the Grassholes and Turkey Hollow.

Liberty Festival ceremonies will follow shortly there after at 6 p.m.

Lisbon Street, between Ash and Main Street, will be closed from 5:15 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. due to festival ceremonies.

jkachinski@sunjournal.com