Project Scope: Riverwalk Rhythm
Status: Approved, Funded, Installed on 5/18/2024

Fundraising
Progress Total:
$10,347 of $10,000

Additional Pledged
Funding: $200

Online Fundraising Links: Facebook, Paypal

City of Bath Installation Survey:

The Riverwalk Rhythm project is on a 1-year trial for its current placement and configuration (ending May 2025). The City of Bath has requested that we collect public feedback on the project via an online survey managed by Main Street Bath. You can take that survey here: Riverwalk Rhythm Community Feedback Survey. Your feedback is CRUCIAL to the future of this project. Positive community feedback will allow this instrument to stay and more instruments to be added to the space.

Dedication:

This project is dedicated in memory of Madeline Marzen, a Bath, ME resident who passed away at age 4 due to inoperable and aggressive brain cancer. From her tragic passing sprang hope and healing with her mother’s founding of Madeline’s Mission, a Bath/Midcoast based nonprofit that helps families who are grieving the loss of a child. We believe that Madeline deserves a joyous and music filled place to be remembered by in the City she called home. We hope that this installation brings as many smiles to Bath as she did for those who knew and loved her. You can read more about Madeline’s story here.

History:

The Riverwalk Rhythm Project proposal evolved out of a discussion with City of Bath staff in November 2022 on a low-impact solution for the newly created Bridge Park green space on Commercial Street (formerly the Guilford Parking Lot) under the Rte. 1 bridge and South of the Bath Freight Shed. This ‘FUNctional art’ project aims to bring musical vibrancy to this new green space in a complementary way that is both visually striking and acoustically appealing to all. We expect the installation to draw visitors and residents alike to this new space while also driving commerce through instrument sponsorship by local businesses.

Bath at Play’s original proposal included installation of 6 Percussion Play, marine grade stainless steel instruments along the existing perimeter walking path of Bridge Park. After numerous discussions with neighbors and interested parties of the former Guilford Lot, and an iterative process with Main Street Bath’s Design Committee, we pared the project down to a single instrument installation on a trial basis for 12 months. For the trial period, we elected to install the Percussion Play Cavatina and an accompanying 4 page Music Book stand.

We chose Percussion Play instruments because of their highly vandal and weather resistant design. The installation is expected to not be louder than the current ambient road noise in the area. We performed noise measurements with a Class-II sound level meter in and around the space to verify this.

Estimated Total Project Cost: $7,401 - $8,766

Cost range with shipping for the Cavatina xylophone + 4 page Music Book: $6,890 - $7,400
Concrete and estimated labor for Installation: $150 - $800
Costs range depending on mount style

Where Are We and Next Steps:

We have been in an iterative discussion with the Main Street Bath’s Design Committee on our proposal. Through this discussion we have identified concerns and received feedback from all the community stakeholders for this space including neighbors, City staff, and organizations that have pending development plans for the “Riverwalk.” We have taken this feedback and revised our original proposal to address any concerns that have come up. Our feedback so far has been very positive and supportive.

On September 20, 2023, the City of Bath Community Development Committee voted to move a memorandum of understanding for the project to the City Council for approval. On October 4, 2023, the City Council voted unanimously to approve our project!

We have decided to fundraise toward a $10,000 goal to cover instrument and installation costs as well as unforeseen incidental and maintenance costs for the 1 year trial period.

As of the first week of April, 2024, our pre-cast concrete pad is complete and we are waiting for Dig-Safe to be completed in Bridge Park. We expect the pad to be in place before the end of April in preparation for final installation in May.

On May 18, 2024 we unveiled the completed installation of the Percussion Play Cavatina xylophone and 4-page Music Book to a group of well over 100 people. Following our unveiling we held a community concert with a performance by KindKids Music. Free ice cream cookie sandwiches, popsicles and snacks were handed out and we raised an additional $602 in donations at the event.

Our next steps will be:

Fundraise toward the project costs - complete, fundraising now goes toward project maintenance and future additions.
Finalize placement, mounting method, and project details with City of Bath Public Works - complete
Installation Date: May 18, 2024 - complete
1 year trial period: May 2024 through May 2025. Public feedback collected via online survey managed by Main Street Bath.

Project Sponsors & Supporters

Without the support of these sponsors and supporters, we would not be where we are with this project. Thank you so much for supporting us in this endeavor!

Business Donor: Modern Edge Metal Fabrication, Inc https://www.facebook.com/modernedgemetal/

John Copeland with Kennebec Trail Company

John offered to donate the excavation and installation services needed for our pre-cast pad as well as the aggregate materials needed to level and maintain adequate drainage for the installation. Check out his awesome work here: https://kennebectrails.com/

Precast of Maine in Topsham gave us an exceptional discount on our pre-cast concrete base for the instruments. Thank you to Mark and Branielle for all your help with this project!

Home Depot #2410 Topsham graciously donated $100 in coupons so that we could purchase the mounting hardware for the instrument pedestal!

Sister’s Gourmet Deli is graciously hosting a gift-card fundraiser on 12/16/2023. See details on our events page!

Business Donor: First Federal Savings, Bath Branch

Anthony P. Keefe Builder - Woolwich, ME

Mr. Keefe allowed us to pick through his pile of boulders to select a base for our dedication and naming plaque. We cannot thank you enough for helping us to finalize a small but very important piece of this project at nearly the 11th hour. http://www.anthonykeefebuilder.com/about.html

Morningstar Stone and Tile in Topsham donated the labor and shop time to mill down the stone we found for our plaque base. They stepped up in the 11th hour to deliver an amazing result. Thank you Derek, and Travis!