HANOVER — Downtown Hanover, while a longtime hub for restaurants and retail, does not have a designated area for residents, students and visitors to enjoy the outdoors together for free. Besides benches scattered throughout S. Main Street, outdoor seating in warmer months has historically been attached to specific restaurants.
Supporters of a project to transform a concrete plot of land between Ledyard Bank and a bubble tea shop on S. Main Street into a public gathering space called Ledyard Park say the new space — slated for construction this summer — will finally give visitors somewhere to unwind.
“They wouldn’t have to sit in a restaurant, they can just sit outside and enjoy the sunshine,” said Janice Dheng, owner of 4U Bubble Tea, which has operated beside the empty lot for five years.
Other downtown business owners are concerned about disruption that the construction, which will be divided into two phases, could cause.
The current design includes eight tables, four large benches and summertime shading, Upper Valley Business Alliance President and CEO Morgan Brophy said Wednesday by phone. The business alliance is assisting with fundraising efforts for the project.
The plot of land is approximately 24-feet wide and 78-feet long, Brophy said. Bean’s Art Store, which has been in business since 1982, sits directly behind that area.
Heather Cantlin, owner of Bean’s Art Store, declined to participate in an interview.
Allison Smith, who co-owns the Ivy Edit across the street, expressed concerns over business at the art store amid prolonged construction.
“I’d be a little upset if I were back there and they were just taking their time to complete this project,” Smith said at her store.
The land for the park is owned by Ledyard Bank, which has a Hanover branch next door. In February of 2025, the bank engaged in a 20-year license agreement with the town at no cost, in return for naming rights.
The space will have more value to the community as a park than any private use, said Jeff Marks, senior vice president & chief marketing officer.
“The property had long functioned as a service alley rather than as an inviting or highly productive space,” Marks said Wednesday by email.
The project, funded largely by donations, is expected to cost approximately $410,000, based on an estimate from the Downtown Hanover Working Group — a community organization tasked with enhancing the downtown experience. The Town of Hanover covered the project design, which was about $30,000, said Town Manager Rob Houseman.
Through fundraising efforts, the project has reached approximately $170,000, said Houseman. One initiative is raising funds is through a personalized bricks campaign. Community members may purchase and engrave an 8-by-4 inch brick for $300 or an 8-by-8 inch brick for $600 online for placement in the park.
With the current level of funding, the park’s construction will come in two phases, said Houseman. The first involves everything besides a steel superstructure and electrical work for speakers and lighting, including groundwork, tables and benches, which could be ready by mid-June.
“Rather than waiting to have all the money on hand that can build the complete project, I can get Phase 1 completed,” said Houseman.
The town will initiate Phase 2 to introduce an overhead steel archway once funding allows for it.
Hanover Parks & Recreation is responsible for maintenance and upkeep of the future park, and will also coordinate programming of town-sponsored events, such as performances or themed events.
Other organizations may rent the space to sponsor functions, but fees would be nominal to cover minor costs, such as clean up.
“My hope is that the park is set up and operational during the summer and has the ability to host events,” said Houseman.
In addition to serving as an event venue, the new park will be a place for spontaneous social connection, which can be hard to find in the largely rural Upper Valley, Brophy said.
“You do have to get in your car to go somewhere, so you’re not running into people when you’re out and about like you would in a bigger city,” said Brophy.
Dr. Bruce Levine, a psychologist who has worked across the street in the Nugget Arcade building for 18 years, said it’s time to revitalize the space, which has been empty for as long as he can remember, he said.
“There are certain places in public spaces where you just don’t look because it’s not very attractive,” Levine said Wednesday while waiting to get his hair cut at Walt and Ernie’s Barbershop, which sits two doors to the left of Bean’s Art Store.
Carol Eastman, who owns Walt and Ernie’s, said the construction period will be manageable and worth the wait.
“I’m excited because I want to eat my lunch out there in the park,” Eastman said Wednesday at the barbershop, a downtown staple for over 85 years.
