Portland’s 21st Century Community Pool: Fundraising Complete

We’re thrilled to announce that the fundraising campaign to build the new 21st Century Community Pool at Dougherty Field has officially reached its $1.25 million goal. This milestone reflects months of dedication, generosity, and community spirit from more than 150 individuals, families, foundations, civic groups, and businesses who came together to make this vision a reality.

The new 21st Century Community Pool carries forward the legacy of the beloved Kiwanis Pool, which first opened in 1961. For more than six decades, the Kiwanis Pool was a summertime landmark for Portlanders, a place where kids learned to swim, families gathered on hot days, and neighbors came together to enjoy one of the city’s most cherished public spaces. After 64 years of service, it was time for an upgrade. The new facility will build on that legacy, providing a safer, more accessible, and modern space that meets the needs of today’s residents while preserving the sense of community that made the original pool so special.

The new pool will feature a waterslide, splash pad, zero-grade entry for accessibility, and dedicated lap and water-walking areas. Once open, it will accommodate up to 400 users at a time, four times the capacity of the old Kiwanis Pool, ensuring that everyone in Portland, regardless of age or ability, can enjoy the water safely.

Construction is already well underway at Dougherty Field. The pool foundation has been poured and is currently undergoing leak testing, with concrete for the deck and splash pad to follow soon. Installation of the slides will begin after that, keeping the project on schedule for a full opening in summer 2026.

The campaign was co-chaired by Rachael and Justin Alfond and supported by a dedicated volunteer cabinet including Micky Bondo, Gaetan Davis, Mary Noyes, Sue Palmer, Molly Curren Rowles, Kate Snyder, Nate Stevens, and Jack Phillips.

Lead gifts that propelled the campaign were generously provided by The Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation, Rachael and Justin Alfond, Unum, Amazon, Cabin Foundation, MaineHealth, Kennebec Savings Bank, Jean Hoffman, Laura Kittle and Jeremy Moser, John Ryan and Jenny Scheu, Margaret E. Burnham Charitable Trust, Pond Family Foundation, OceanView at Falmouth, Lucas Geant Fund, Horizon Foundation, and several anonymous donors.

When the pool opens in 2026, there will be a ribbon-cutting celebration to invite the entire community to mark this exciting new chapter for Portland. 

Thank you to everyone who gave, supported, and believed in this project.

Pool Campaign Supporters (listed alphabetically)

Aileen and Tim Agnew

Allagash Brewing Company

Amazon

Richard Anderson

Anna M Ginn Fund

Anonymous (4)

John Anton and Renee Schwalberg

Piper, Meg & Matt Austin

Faith and Sam Beal

Roger Berle and Lesley MacVane

Katie Boland

Micky Bondo

Elias Bonner

Michael Bourque

Mike Boyson and Nancy Grant

Jim Brady and Katja Pianka

Kathryn Brouillette

The Bullion Nehrt Family

Martha Bullock

Kevin Bunker

Cabin Foundation

Beba and James Cabot

Zeke Callanan and Katie McAlaine

Stephen Campbell

Mike Carey and Annie Leahy

Tae Chong

Joshua and Portia Clark

Cloutier, Conley & Duffett, P.A.

James and Joan Cohen

John and Linda Coleman

Ben Conniff

Sara Corbett and Mike Paterniti

cPort Credit Union

Susan Cromwell

Curran Family Fund

Molly and Dustin Curren Rowles

Cynthia Czajkowski

Dana Rentals

Lisa Darak-Druck

Gabriel and Haley de Oliveira

Kristen de Oliveira

Deering Lodge 183

Philip Divinsky and Carol Gallagher

Henry Donovan

Mary Fahrenbach

Lauren Genova

Karen Geraghty

Gideon Asen LLC

Ned Flint and Hallie Gilman

Rosanne and Steve Graef

Cyrus Hagge

Rachael and Seth Harkness

Rob Gips and Karen Harris

Johannah Hart

Hoffman Family Foundation

Libby Hoffman

John Hommeyer and Julia Trotman

Horizon Foundation

Intermed

Mark and Rachel Jablonowski

Amy Jaffe

Claire Jeffers

Jeremy Moser and Laura Kittle Fund

Jamie Johnston and Sondra Bogdonoff

JRA Fund at the Maine Community Foundation

Kennebec Savings Bank

Sarah Ketchum and Tim Krovel

Angus and Cricket King

Kirby Family Foundation

Zak Klein and Hannah Quimby

Melissa and Scott Knoll

Celine and Chris Kuhn

Mike and Rebecca Lambert

Joan Leitzer and Ken Spirer

Rosie Lenehan

Sarah Lentz

Lincoln Capital

David and ManChing Loughran

Lucas Geant Fund

Machias Savings Bank

Jennifer and Sean Mahoney

Maine Beer Company

MaineHealth

Scott and Andrea Maker

Alison Mann

Tom & Stefanie Manning

Margaret E. Burnham Charitable Trust

Moriah Maron

Nancy Martin

Mascoma Bank

Nick Mavodones

Theresa and Scott McAuliffe

Joseph McDonnell

Molly McMahon

Heather Meader

Sandrine Micoleau

Ben Moodie and Caroline Shaw

Kevin Moquin and Shannon Litourneau

Anne Nelson

Leonard and Merle Nelson

Chip Newell

Brian Noyes

Mary Noyes

Kate and Tuck O’Brien

OceanView at Falmouth

Old Bug Light Charitable Foundation

Emily O'Neill

Sue Palmer

Allison Paul

Charlotte Phillips

Jack and Jane Phillips

Amy Pichette

Pierce Atwood

David Plumb

Pamela Plumb

Pond Family Foundation

Portland Community Squash

Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce

Anne and Harry Pringle

R.M. Davis

Belinda Ray and Ward Willis

Sharon Rosen

David Ruff and Jane Wellehan

John Ryan and Jenny Scheu

William Ryan

Sam L. Cohen Foundation

The Saunders Family

Helen Scalia

Gillian Schair

Justin and Payal Schair

Liz Cotter Schlax

Martha and Bill Sheils

Blair Sly

Alison Smith

Austin Smith

Kate and Colin Snyder

Stephen & Tabitha King Foundation

Jane and Nate Stevens

Sun Life

Tamarack Fund

The Boulos Company

The Szanton Company

Charlie Therrien

Triangle Lodge No 1

Liz Trice

Mara Ubans

Unum

Cheryl Vacchiano

Katrina Venhuizen

Gary Vogel

Joseph Walsh

Jill Ward

Joseph Wolfberg

Clarkson Woodward

Jennifer Wriggins