Committee passes $200,000 in fund raising for Pine Street park

A citizen's group is within $50,000 of raising $250,000 toward purchase and restoration of the old Sunoco gas station property at the corner of Route 16 and Pine Street in North Conway, reported Cindy Russell, chair of the Peterson Petroleum Park Project.From 4 p.m. to closing on Tuesday, May 10, Flatbreads Pizza in North Conway will donate proceeds of pizza sales toward the Pine Street park project.The lot sits on the east side of Route 16 adjacent to the town-owned Whitaker Homesite. This parcel and 44 acres adjacent to it in Whitaker Homesite once belonged to Edith Bancroft, sister of C.W. Whitaker, namesake for the homesite and neighboring Whitaker Woods.Voters passed Article 37 on April 12, asking the town to accept the property for its intended conversion to a town park.The preservation group's goal includes raising private funds for removing the buildings, returning the property to green space, and adding some simple landscaping, Russell said.This small plot of land is the only commercial piece of property within a large area of land which consists of the Whitaker Homesite Recreation Area, Russell noted in a recent press release."We're coming down the home stretch, and we'd like to get the word out to everyone that no contribution is too small to help us to complete the dream," Russell said. "The goal is to remove a 'wart' and replace it with a small town park, positioning it back with the original property now owned and maintained by the Town of Conway and known as the Whitaker Homesite Recreation Area. The closing date for purchase of the property is expected to be in the next couple of weeks and the remaining funds being sought will finish paying for the property and cover costs of restoring it to a greenspace with simple landscaping. It should be noted that the work required to dismantle the gas station building and remove the hard top has been pledged as a contribution by three area construction companies, saving the committee between $10,000 and $15,000 in additional funds."The property, currently referred to as the Peterson Petroleum property, is about one-half acre next to 47 acres of green space, as well as a softball field, a community recreational meeting house and an antique barn originally belonging to the Whitaker family, Russell said.Also, a small blacksmith shop, belonging to the Whitaker Homesite sits on the gas station property, and will be saved for its historic value, Russell reported."The Whitaker site was given to the town in the 1990s, and the present park project might be considered the final phase of restoring the approximately 47-acre plot to resemble its original historical setting," she said."A warrant article stating that the town would accept the completed park as a gift of land was passed by the voters 3 to 1. Over 76 percent of the voters supported the project, and now the call goes out to request financial assistance," Russell said. "We are grateful to area foundations for contributing the majority of the funds needed for the project. The Connie Davis Watson Foundation began the process with the most major grant, followed by sizable contributions from the Pequawket, Goldberg and Ham foundations. The total amount of money contributed through grants is $145,000 and is expanded by some sizable business and private contributions as well."Business contributions to date have been received from: Eastern Slope Inn Resort, River Run Co, Inc., White Mountain Oil & Propane, Settlers' Green Outlet Village, the Berlin City Bank, Monarch Events and Corporate Communications Inc., the group reported. Donations to the project from private sources and area businesses are being sought to complete the needed $250,000."There has been a good response so far, with contributions ranging from $25 to $5,000 from the private sector," Russell said. "We are hoping that additional area residents and businesses will see that the project is very near realization and step up to help us reach the goal."Any individual or business wishing to assist with this beautification project is urged to contact members of the Property Preservation Committee: Russell, chair, 447-8914; Kim Beals, Corporate Communications Inc.; Joe Berry, Eastern Slope Inn Resort; Connie Briggs, Locust Hill B&B; Dick Brunelle, Berlin City Bank; Janice Crawford, MWV Chamber of Commerce; Jac Cuddy, MWV Economic Council; Chet Lucy; Dot Seybold, Settlers' Green Outlet Village; Glenn Saunders, White Mountain Oil & Propane; Carol Westervelt, Connie Davis Watson Fund. The committee is a volunteer group, and all administrative costs, including grant writing, letters of solicitation, Web site and other communications, as well as office expenses have been contributed.Tax-deductible contributions may be sent to Upper Saco Valley Land Trust, fiscal agent for the project, at P.O. Box 424, North Conway, NH 03860, attention: Peterson Property Preservation Project.