LIVERMORE FALLS – A vacant dirt lot was turned into a flowering park with granite benches, changing the landscape of the town’s Bridge and Main streets gateway.

Many people, young and old, pitched in over several days to build the park under the direction of members of the Livermore Falls Betterment Group.

The granite had been covered in weeds at the transfer station and loam spread over the ground came from leaves composted there, Betterment Group President Phil Poirier said.

The lot, which may have been two lots at one time where a house and store stood, is owned by the Maine Department of Transportation. Once the corner, which is also where Route 4 winds toward Jay, is used to widen the radius of the turn for trucks, the remaining parcel will be deeded back to the town, Poirier said.

For now, the state allowed the beautification project.

Betterment Group members cleared up brush and dead wood along the edges, and raked the grass and dirt while members of the Carousel Kids Dairy Goat 4-H Club and Livermore Falls Women’s Club added woodland plants and flowers. The Women’s Club plans to plant more flowers later this month, member Gail Slade said, but for now a member had dropped off hearty flowers that should withstand cooler temperatures.

The next step is to think about a name for the park, Poirier said.

Some suggestions have been Gateway Park and Corner Park, and the group is considering holding a contest to get more ideas.

Once the DOT takes back a chunk of land to make the corner safer, Poirier said, people need to start thinking about what should be done with the remainder of the land, such as putting in an information kiosk about the town and area.

By the end of Saturday’s work session, the loam had been seeded and hay covered the area.