The Boothbay Harbor selectmen awarded the Boothbay Harbor 2013 Spirit of America award to the Rowe sisters for their tireless efforts in improving the footbridge.

Marianne, Sue and Nancy Rowe started the footbridge beautification project in memory of their late father, Charlie Rowe, who ran the Romar Bowling Lanes on the by-way from 1946 to 2011. Their mother, Kay Rowe, ran the Blue Ship (now Andrews’ Harborside), and their grandfather Bryan Rowe ran the little store on the east side entrance of the footbridge.

“We lived and worked our whole lives on either side of the footbridge, and so did dad. It's an important part of our lives,” Nancy Rowe said.

With help from local merchants, the Rowe sisters worked with Alden Jordan and Jordan Construction to design a new vision of the footbridge.

Improvements made include a new archway onto the footbridge, with signs made by Jeff Brown of Southport. Boothbay Region Boatyard donated the posts the signs rest between. Beautiful rock and flower work along the sides of the entrance to the bridge were done by Jordan and Boothbay Region Greenhouses helped out with the cost of the flowers. Allan Miller (who owns the footbridge house along with his wife Pam Burke) built the flower boxes along the sides on the bridge.

The Board of Selectmen and the Public Works Department of Boothbay Harbor also did their part in the footbridge enhancement project, creating an entryway on the west side that mimics the look of cobblestones without the bumpy texture. A proper crosswalk was placed onto the entryway where the footbridge parking lot connects with the lot behind the bowling lanes, making that area safer for pedestrians.

“The sisters have done a really great job with this project,” Town Manager Tom Woodin said.

The sisters are still planning more improvements to the bridge, including fixing up the east side first, and then creating period lighting along the bridge and getting rid of the electric wires. They plan to continue the work in the spring when they have all returned to the harbor.

To help the continuing project, donations should be sent to the Boothbay Harbor Town Office and designated for the Footbridge Enhancement Fund.