The Center is working with partners to elevate the Katahdin region as a recreation destination. The Recreation Capacity Development Initiative is building local capacity for improving recreation-related services through partner-led projects.

The Center secured a grant from the US Department of Agriculture – Rural Development to help fund the local projects, and the partnership selected four projects for initial funding:

A project to increase bike and pedestrian safety downtown received $35,000 to conduct an engineering study of Central Street and Penobscot Avenue corridors and make recommendations for improvements. The project is a partnership between the Town of Millinocket and Thrive Penobscot. The initiative’s grant matches $35,000 in funding from the Maine Department of Transportation Planned Partnership Initiative. Thrive Penobscot provided $2,500 toward the project.

“The Town of Millinocket is extremely pleased to be a recipient of grant funds from the Northern Forest Center,” said Jane Danforth, director of Grants and Community Wellness at Millinocket Regional Hospital, where Thrive Penobscot is based. “The funding enabled the town to secure a DOT Planning and Partnerships Initiative grant to do the safety study of these two busy corridors that connect many of Millinocket’s businesses and recreational opportunities.”