{{short description|Park in Portland, Maine}} {{Infobox park | name = Congress Square Park | image = File:Congress Square Park 2025.jpg | image_size = | image_caption = Pictured in 2025 | map = | map_caption = | coordinates = {{coord|43.6544|-70.2633|format=dms|type:landmark_region:US-ME}} | type = Park | location = Portland, Maine, United States | nearest_city = | area = | created = | operator = City of Portland, Maine | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | visitation_ref = | status = | designation = Park | open = 1982 }} '''Congress Square Park''' is a small public park in the Arts District of Portland, Maine. The park includes a stage for performances and areas for sitting.<ref>{{cite web |title=Congress Square |url=http://www.portlandlandmarks.org/congress-square |website=Greater Portland Landmarks}}</ref> It is also home to a large, historic clock which had previously been located at Union Station.<ref>{{cite web |title=Union Station Clock |url=http://www.portlandlandmarks.org/union-station-clock |website=Greater Portland Landmarks}}</ref>
==History== The park was built in 1982 with an urban development grant from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-11-15 |title=From the archives: Portland from the past |url=https://www.pressherald.com/media/gallery/historic-portland-photos/ |access-date=2024-03-11 |website=Press Herald}}</ref><ref name="Flaccavento">{{cite book |last1=Flaccavento |first1=Anthony |title=Building a Healthy Economy from the Bottom Up: Harnessing Real-World Experience for Transformative Change |date=2016 |publisher=University Press of Kentucky |isbn=9780813167350 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ebfxCwAAQBAJ&dq=%22congress+square+park%22&pg=PT299 |accessdate=9 November 2019 |language=en}}</ref> Starting in 2012, the city, led by Mayor Michael F. Brennan and City Manager Jon Jennings, sought to sell the park to a private equity firm Rockbridge Capital, which was renovating the adjacent hotel. Rockbridge sought to build a single story event center over most of the park. However, residents (led by the Friends of Congress Square Park) drafted an ordinance which sought to prevent the sale until a vote could occur. After collecting a sufficient number of signatures, the sale was postponed until after a June 2014 referendum.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Koenig |first1=Seth |title=High court allows Congress Square Park referendum to advance for June vote |url=https://bangordailynews.com/2014/05/06/news/portland/high-court-allows-congress-square-park-referendum-to-advance-for-june-vote/ |accessdate=9 November 2019 |work=Bangor Daily News |date=May 6, 2014}}</ref> In that election, voters endorsed their initiative, which prevented the sale of the public and added protections to the further sale of public spaces.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Story of Congress Square Park: How A Derelict Plaza Got a New Identity Downtown |url=https://www.pps.org/article/the-story-of-congress-square-park-how-a-derelict-plaza-got-a-new-identity-downtown |website=Project for Public Spaces}}</ref>
Since 2013, the Friends of Congress Square Park has organized events, raised funds on behalf of, and maintained the park.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Zeli |first1=Anthony |title=Congress Square Park: Derelict Space to Summer Hot Spot |url=https://thewestendnews.com/derelict-space-to-this-summers-hot-spot-the-revitalization-of-congress-square-park/ |accessdate=9 November 2019 |work=The West End News |date=4 June 2015}}</ref> In 2018, the city received a $33,000 grant for a public art project in the park.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Billings |first1=Randy |title=Portland receives grant for art in Congress Square Park |url=https://www.centralmaine.com/2018/02/09/portland-receives-grant-for-congress-square-park-art/ |accessdate=9 November 2019 |work=Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel |date=9 February 2018}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons-inline}} * [https://www.portlandmaine.gov/2228/Congress-Square-Park Congress Square Park] portlandmaine.gov * [https://congresssquarepark.org/ Friends of Congress Square Park]
{{Portland, Maine}}
Category:Parks in Portland, Maine Category:Squares in Portland, Maine Category:1982 establishments in Maine Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1982 Category:Parks established in the 1980s Category:Protected areas established in 1982 Category:Urban public parks