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Scarborough group seeks town permission to start a Woodbank to distribute donated firewood
Summary
Volunteers and Project Grace proposed establishing a Scarborough Woodbank at town-owned property off Holmes Road to collect, split and distribute donated firewood to 15–30 households annually; the council signaled support and staff will prepare an agreement for August consideration.
A volunteer steering committee and Project Grace asked the council for authorization to use a small parcel of town property to set up a Scarborough Woodbank that would collect, process and donate firewood to households in need.
"So just to start off, what we wanna do is to establish the Scarborough Woodbank," said Patrick O’Reilly, a Scarborough resident and steering-committee member, outlining a model that would join the Main Woodbanks network and rely primarily on volunteers. He said annual distribution is expected to serve about 15–30 households, delivering roughly 30–40 cords of wood per year.
Steve Hammond and Jeremy Grundon described operational details: a set-aside area at the old landfill off Holmes Road would be prepared for equipment, a shipping container or shed, stacking and volunteer work parties. "We would have a log splitter or two," one presenter said, and Project Grace would screen applicants for need through its existing heating assistance intake.
Project Grace’s Stephanie Cox said the network offers "wood bank in a box" startup resources, insurance and volunteer safety training. Tony DeMarco, representing Main Woodbanks, explained that becoming part of the statewide network reduces fiscal and administrative burdens: contributions can flow through the Main Woodbanks fiscal structure, which handles bookkeeping, insurance and startup guidance.
Presenters emphasized volunteer safety (training, waivers, PPE), potential partnerships (Scarborough Land Trust, tree-cutting companies, CMP brush removals), and an initial seed donation of about $1,000 from Project Grace. The steering committee said it does not plan to request town operating funds and will pursue grants, donations and in-kind support.
Councilors praised the idea as a community-driven response to heating needs and asked staff to draft a short memorandum of understanding so the town manager can negotiate terms. The council indicated it will place an authorization item on the August agenda for formal consideration.
What’s next: staff will prepare an agreement for August; presenters aim to have a site ready in the fall and to begin distribution in earnest the following heating season when wood is cured.
