VIP’s break ground at Acadia’s new maintenance facility. From left to right: Carol Woodcock (staff, Senator Susan Collins), Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, Superintendent Kevin Schneider, Deputy Secretary of the Interior Tommy Beaudreau, Senator Angus King. (NPS photo)

Bar Harbor, Maine – Deputy Secretary of the Interior Tommy Beaudreau visited Acadia National Park today where he joined federal and local leaders to celebrate the groundbreaking of a new year-round maintenance facility at park headquarters in Bar Harbor, Maine, made possible with a new $32.6 million investment from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA).

Senator Angus King delivers remarks at the groundbreaking event for Acadia National Park’s new maintenance facility. (NPS photo)

Deputy Secretary Beaudreau, Senator Angus King, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, and other community leaders celebrated the new building that will allow for more efficient park maintenance operations and improve universal access.

“This moment is nearly 20 years in the making – and it’s hard to believe it’s finally here,” said Acadia National Park Superintendent Kevin Schneider. “We are all eager to see this facility come to life over the next two years. It will allow us to be better stewards of Acadia’s diverse built environment: ranging from our historic carriage roads to our visitor centers, and everything in between.”

The 32,000 square-foot maintenance facility will equip the park with workshops, equipment storage, meeting rooms, and offices. The project will also demolish more than 20,000 square feet of unsafe park structures and eliminate $4.4 million of deferred maintenance and repairs. The new maintenance facility is critical to supporting the mission of Acadia National Park and will make it possible for the park to provide frontline services to visitors and protect park resources over the next 60 years.

This GAOA investment will contribute more than 425 jobs and $92 million to the nation’s economy. Local contractor Nickerson & O’Day, Inc. of Brewer, Maine, is expected to start work this spring, with project completion expected in Fall 2024.

Environmental Specialist Jason Flynn walks audience members through key features of what will be Acadia National Park’s new maintenance facility. (NPS photo)

Infrastructure funding from GAOA and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are part of a concerted effort to address the extensive deferred maintenance and repair backlog in national parks. Supported by revenue from energy development, GAOA’s Legacy Restoration Fund provides the National Park Service with up to $1.3 billion per year for five years to make significant enhancements in national parks to ensure their preservation and provide opportunities for recreation, education, and enjoyment for current and future visitors.

Find more details on the project – including ongoing updates – on the Acadia National Park website:
Acadia National Park Maintenance Facility

Additional Coverage:

• New facility at Acadia National Park promises better access and maintenance – via WGME
• King, Pingree attend groundbreaking ceremony of Acadia National Park’s new maintenance facility – via WABI
• Acadia National Park breaks ground on $33M maintenance facility – via Mainebiz