RUMFORD — Opposition is growing to a zip line park developer’s proposed buyout of two lots along the Androscoggin River and a right-of-way easement across a third lot.

Earlier this month, Rumford attorney and local zip line park developer Thomas Carey, also of Wow-Za Zip Lines LLC, asked selectmen to place the company’s proposed purchase of town land along the Androscoggin River on the annual town meeting warrant. He offered to pay $1 for the parcels.

Wow-Za Zip Lines wants to buy the two lots, numbered 248 and 250, to establish a zip line and recreation park contingent on meeting several conditions.

Lot 248 is the former 8-acre town snow dump site and Lot 250 is known as Chisholm Park and is covenanted Rumford library land. Wow-Za also wants a 10-foot right of way easement on a third lot behind the library.

Selectmen agreed to put the matter to either sell or lease the land before voters. However, the annual town budget referendum warrant had been printed and posted. Also, some voters had already cast absentee ballots.

So the board created an addendum, with voting on the three lots to be done by a show of hands at the annual business meeting, Selectmen Chairman Greg Buccina said Wednesday morning.

That meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, June 3, in Muskie Auditorium at Mountain Valley High School to vote on the first five articles of the regular warrant and Articles 44, 45 and 46 about the zip line lots. 

On Wednesday afternoon, Edith Russell, librarian Luke Sorensen, and library trustees Carolyn Kennard and Marie Boudreau spoke out against the proposal. Additionally, the library has created a Facebook site called Save Rumford’s Riverfront at www.facebook.com/SaveRumfordsRiverfront. It urges a “No” vote on Articles 44, 45 and 46.

“That land was given to the library and it was to be used for nothing else or it was going to be given back (to the grantor), and I can’t see selling it to a business for a dollar, which doesn’t make sense,” Russell said.

“Plus the fact that you go to a library for peace and quiet, and with a zip line, there’s going to be a lot of yelling and screaming and there’s going to be trash, and that’s just not acceptable,” she said.

Additionally, Russell said Rumford doesn’t have the best weather and she doesn’t believe zip lines can be a viable business.

“There is a lot to lose and nothing to gain,” she said. “I was born within sight of that library and it’s very, very special. They’re trying to rush it through before anybody knows it’s happening.”

Adding a zip line park would also create more parking woes, Russell said.

“This is an aging population and there’s going to be more people wanting to use the library than the zip lines,” she said.

Sorensen said he attended the May 21 selectmen meeting when the board discussed the proposal at length. He said he asked many questions about how the project may or may not impact the library, but doesn’t believe enough information was gained by selectmen before they decided to sell off riverfront property “that is important to the community.”

“And also, it was mentioned quite a few times in the paper that the land they are planning on buying, the library doesn’t use it, which isn’t true,” Sorensen said.

He said the library uses the land behind it for its annual children’s reading program SummerFest, picnics and concerts. Additionally, the public uses the land, especially during the summer.

Sorensen said the land was donated to the town by Hugh Chisholm, to be used for Chisholm Park and to have a library. The land was also to be used by the library.

Sorensen said that he and library trustees asked selectmen to place the matter before voters at a later meeting so more information could be gained.

If the town votes to sell the property to Wow-Za, Sorensen said it will affect how the library operates its summer programs.

“It would also take away the private serenity of the park,” Sorensen said. “I never would have guessed there was going to be a zip line in the backyard of the library.”

Kennard and Boudreau agreed with Russell and Sorensen. Kennard said that Chisholm gave the land to the town in 1903 and the deed states that it should be used for the library. If it’s not, it would revert back to the power company, which is now Brookfield Power.

“I think it’s an insult to the librarian and the Board of Trustees,” Boudreau said. “That land is historic property given to us by Hugh Chisholm for library use only. I think this (zip line park) is a selfish movement. This is not going to bring money into Rumford.”

Tom Carey disagrees. He characterized the opposition as being misinformed.

“It’s unfortunate that these people are uninformed and have jumped to conclusions,” Carey said Wednesday.

He also disagreed with Sorensen, saying he answered everything that was asked at the May 21 selectmen meeting.

“I tried to be as open as I can, but the problem is we don’t have all the answers,” Carey said. “It’s a matter of whether the voters trust their selectpersons.”

He sees the $1 offer as a way for the town to invest in the project by accepting that, which in turn could attract investors.

“For the opposition to tell the people to vote no is short-sighted,” Carey said. “Any condition in the deed is going to be considered by both parties, so it would be foolish for the selectpersons not to clear it up with the Rumford Falls Power Co.”

Carey said his company is trying to respect the library’s concern about the 10-foot right of way by moving the west fence 10 feet closer to the library.

“We’re trying to coexist,” he said. “If it’s clear at the (annual business meeting) that this is what the people don’t want, then it’s over. Why try to swim upstream against a strong current?”

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