A greenway system for the city of Portland is not a completely original idea. In fact, Fredrick Law Olmsted was thinking greenway back in the late 1800's. As the shipping industry brought major urban development to Portland, Olmsted had the foresight to layout and preserve important resources. The Eastern and Western Promenades, Baxter Boulevard, Evergreen Cemetery, and connections to Deering Oaks Park were Olmsted's vision of a greenway network that wrapped around the perimeter of Portland's development. Today these preserved open spaces and view sheds are the core of Portland's urban fabric as sprawl has expanded the cities development all the way to the Presumpscot River.

Our vision is to expand Olmsted's original greenway system and preserve natural, cultural, and recreational areas throughout Portland's surrounding neighborhoods. The proposed system will protect important natural resources from further development, and provide important connections between Portland's residential districts and Portland's cultural center, which Olmsted protected nearly 100 years ago.

In addition, the proposal makes regional connections to the adjacent towns of Westbrook and Falmouth through the proposed Presumpscot Riverway Trail. The trail protects the river's valuable natural resources and provides both active and passive forms of recreation, while making direct connections to Portland's overall greenway system, and the proposed East Coast Greenway Alliance.