A new picnic table overlooks Mackerel Cove, on Bailey Island. The town property at Mackerel Cove has two new picnic tables and a tree, thanks to donations from the estate of island resident Pat Robinson. (J.W. OLIVER PHOTO)

Three town properties have new amenities this summer, or will soon, thanks in part to gifts of time and money.

The town property at Mackerel Cove, on Bailey Island, has new picnic tables and a new tree, donations from the estate of Pat Robinson. “It looks beautiful down there,” Town Administrator Kristi K. Eiane said at the July 8 selectmen’s meeting.

An educator and coach of women’s college sports, Robinson retired to a home on Bailey Island with a view of the cove. She contributed to her adopted community as a volunteer swimming instructor. She died Jan. 1, 2020, at the age of 93.

At George J. Mitchell Field, Steward Don Miskill will lead a crew of fellow volunteers in the construction of two racks for seasonal dinghy storage along the exterior north wall of the administration building garage. The town will pay for the materials, a cost of about $500 per rack.

Miskill expects the construction of the racks to take a few weeks. Eiane called him “an amazing volunteer.”

Each rack will have four slots, for a total of eight. The town has seven moorings off the Mitchell Field waterfront. Boaters will pay $50 per season for a slot. They must remove their dinghies by Nov. 1.

The administration building garage at George J. Mitchell Field, on Harpswell Neck, will soon have a dinghy rack along its north wall. Mitchell Field Steward Don Miskill and fellow volunteers will build the rack. (J.W. OLIVER PHOTO)
New granite steps facilitate access to the shore at the Tide Mill Cove town landing. (J.W. OLIVER PHOTO)

The town landing at Tide Mill Cove has a new set of granite stairs to the water. Visitors to the landing can walk down to the water or use the site as a hand-carry launch for kayaks and other small craft.

“The erosion control is a living shoreline environment, which is really cool,” Eiane said.

Voters approved the use of town funds for the Tide Mill project in 2020. The town contracted Linkel Construction Inc., of Topsham, to do the job for a price of $42,235.80.