Thomaston closes Mill River Park to dogs for a year over water concerns

Thomaston has shut Mill River Park to all dogs for one year, a move that takes effect May 1 and cuts off a familiar place for leashed walks, zoomies, and hard-running dogs that need room to burn off energy. The ban applies whether a dog is on leash or off, and the town is pointing owners to the Thomaston Dog Park as the main alternative while the closure is in place.

Town officials tied the decision to water-quality concerns in the St. George River, where recent testing from the Maine Department of Marine Resources showed microbial contamination levels approaching regulatory limits. The town said pet waste may be part of the problem, a concern that reaches beyond the park itself because Thomaston’s shellfish economy depends on clean water. The town’s ordinances page also lists a Georges River Regional Shellfish Management Ordinance, underscoring how closely the park decision is linked to local water protection.

The town said enforcement will continue during the closure, along with new signage and public education so residents understand both the rule and the reason behind it. Thomaston’s Dog Waste Ordinance carries a $50 fine for a first conviction and $100 for each later conviction on town-owned property. The town said those penalties apply across town-owned property, not just at Mill River Park.

The issue surfaced sharply at the April 27 Select Board meeting, where Board Chair Chris Rector read emails from a couple of residents who asked that the park stay open to dogs. Other speakers backed the closure, saying waste had piled up at the park on Thatcher Street. Thomaston’s history pages describe the town as a waterfront community on the Georges, or St. George, River, with a shipping past tied to the water that now sits at the center of this dispute.

Town leaders said the ban will be reassessed after a year of additional testing and monitoring, once they have a clearer read on whether conditions improve without dog-related contamination. A March 2024 town newsletter had already reminded residents that dogs must be restrained on public ways or in public places, showing that dog-control rules have been a recurring local issue long before Mill River Park became the latest flashpoint.