Senator Collins Visits Downtown Waterville with Senator Tim Scott
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Waterville, ME — This afternoon, U.S. Senator Susan Collins hosted Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) for a tour of Waterville to see the ongoing revitalization of downtown. Stops included the Hathaway Creative Center and Lockwood Mills, which were renovated thanks to investment encouraged by the designation of Waterville as an Opportunity Zone as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Additionally, the Senators visited small businesses that have greatly benefited from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Senator Collins co-authored as well as a federal BUILD grant she secured to help the city make infrastructure improvements.
Kim Lindlof, the President and CEO of the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce and Executive Director of the Central Maine Growth Council, as well as David Greene, President of Colby College, were also in attendance. These organizations have each played a key role in the revitalization and resurgence of Waterville's Main Street, and the tour highlighted some of those important accomplishments.
“I enjoyed hosting my friend, Senator Tim Scott, in Maine today and showing him the exciting redevelopment projects that are taking place in downtown Waterville. As the author of the Opportunity Zone provision in the 2017 tax reform law, Senator Scott has been a great partner in supporting our small businesses and underserved communities,” said Senator Collins. “With critical assistance from federal programs that I have championed, the City of Waterville’s revitalization has been a catalyst for economic activity, job creation, and an overall sense of community. I will continue to fight for programs that support Maine’s small businesses and Main Streets, helping communities thrive as we battle the ongoing public health and economic crisis.”
In December of 2018, Senator Collins secured a $7.37 million BUILD grant for Waterville to change the downtown traffic patterns from one-way to two-way, improve intersections and sidewalks to enhance safety for pedestrians, improve landscaping, install benches, and complete the RiverWalk at Head of Falls. Last month, Senator Collins secured a $25 million BUILD grant to replace the 111-year-old Ticonic Bridge that connects Waterville and Winslow.
Senator Collins co-authored the PPP to help small employers continue to keep paying their workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since its launch in early April, more than 28,000 Maine small businesses and self-employed individuals have received nearly $2.3 billion in forgivable loans, helping to support more than 250,000 jobs throughout the state.
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