Peacock Beach State Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Peacock Beach State Park
IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
Peacock Beach State Park Location in Maine
Location	Richmond, Sagadahoc, Maine, United States
Elevation	259 ft (79 m)
Established	Unspecified
Operator	Town of Richmond
Website	Peacock Beach

Peacock Beach State Park is a fun place for outdoor activities in Richmond, Maine. It's a public park right on the shores of Pleasant Pond. You can find it along U.S. Route 201, not far from major highways like I-95 and I-295. The park is about 12 miles south of Augusta.

The Town of Richmond started managing the park in 2010. It's a great spot for families and friends to enjoy a picnic or go for a swim.

Park History: How Peacock Beach Changed Hands

For a long time, the state of Maine was in charge of Peacock Beach State Park. It cost the state about $23,000 each year to keep the park running. The park didn't have staff collecting fees at the entrance. Instead, visitors were asked to put their entrance fee into a collection box.

However, not many people paid the fee. Before 2010, it was thought that only about 10% of visitors actually paid. This meant the park wasn't bringing in much money to cover its costs.

A New Plan for the Park

In 2010, the state decided it couldn't afford to open the park that year. To save money, they offered a special deal to the Town of Richmond. The town could lease the park for 25 years and run it themselves.

The town thought this was a good idea and agreed to the offer on June 3, 2010. Today, the town manages the park. They don't have full-time staff at the entrance, but they do have part-time workers who help with maintenance. The collection box for fees is still there. The town has thought about having staff at the entrance to make sure more people pay the fee.