RANGELEY — The town’s Park Commission held a public input session May 17 after nearly two years of work on planning for the town park. The Commission requested the meeting with area residents before the drawings and documents are finalized.

A small but lively crowd met in the Rangeley School’s all-purpose room for a detailed run-down on the proposed park (a.k.a. Lakeside Park or Furbish Park) improvements, led by Park Commission head Carol Sullivan, and presented by Arek Galle of Gates, Leighton & Associates, the same firm that is working on the town’s Comprehensive Plan.

After the presentation, attendees were asked to fill out a questionnaire on park use, ranking activities they would like to add or discontinue, park features, park problems and park improvements.

Sullivan said that because of the low turnout, she would place the surveys at the Chamber of Commerce offices in the park. Residents are encouraged to drop by the Chamber and fill out a survey.

Sullivan began by saying that the Selectmen have given their approval for some necessary projects to begin this spring, such as a sidewalk that will lead from Main Street to the Chamber office for safe pedestrian access, and an L-shaped canoe and kayak launch dock, where no motor-driven craft will be allowed. She also said there is an article on the warrant for the town meeting to purchase the Furbish garden property on Main Street, which will give the park much more visible Main Street access.

Landscape architect and planner Galle said he was hoping to codify recommendations at this meeting and get feedback on public priorities. He began by noting that the Park comprises seven acres of lakefront property, and most communities would kill for just one.

In an attempt to quantify the park’s fiscal impact on the community, he listed community cohesion, higher property values, tourism, and health benefits from clean air and water.

Among the improvements and additions, Galle produced schematic drawings that noted possible positions for a large family picnic pavilion, and a replacement for the current restrooms that could be built into the hillside and have a flat roof used for a deck. Other restroom possibilities would be renovating the current facilities, or building a new facility at the Lake Street turnaround above the beach. Attendees were interested in both replacement plans, and all firmly were opposed to keeping the current restrooms, which were characterized as “scary” and “appalling.”

Other changes might involve moving the basketball court back to flank the tennis courts to open more grassy area near the lake; waterside planting in line with state Fish and Wildlife guidelines to discourage wild geese; and plantings in key areas such as between the Park and condominiums, not as a barrier but to define the property line.

Carol Sullivan reminded attendees to ask their friends and neighbors to drop by the Chamber of Commerce to fill out a survey, and to attend the town meeting where purchase of the additional property for the park would be voted on.