KENNEBUNKPORT — Friends and family describe the late Mat Lanigan as a gregarious man with a twinkling eye, who, as part of Kennebunkport’s Christmas Prelude Committee, would delight in festooning the bridge in Dock Square with festive lights to mark the holidays.
On Tuesday night, a dedication ceremony formalized the re-naming of that bridge, which abuts the Emporium ”“ the business that Lanigan owned and operated.
The former selectman, who died last November at age 48 following complications to remove an aneurysm, was officially immortalized with a large sign announcing to motorists and pedestrians their passage upon the Mathew J. Lanigan Bridge.
“I know he’s looking down on us with awe,” said Lanigan’s widow, Jennifer, as she surveyed the crowd.
Throngs packed the sidewalk in Dock Square leading up to the bridge, with its expansive view of the Kennebunk River. Members of Lanigan’s family, including his three children, attended the ceremony along with business owners, town officials and community members.
Earlier this year, the state Legislature approved the re-naming of the bridge after considering a bill introduced by Rep. Alan Casavant, who came to know Lanigan through politics.
On Tuesday, Casavant delighted in seeing the sign unveiled.
“I grew to respect him,” he said, “and I came to visualize him as a symbol of everything this town stood for.”
Sheila Matthews-Bull, who served with Lanigan on the board of selectmen, as well as on the Prelude committee and in the Kennebunkport Business Association, described him as “diligent in his responsibilities.”
“I was struck by how well he knew the town, its businesses and its business owners,” said Matthews-Bull. “He lived life to the fullest. ”¦ I admired the way he handled his job, his volunteering and his family.”
Matthews-Bull recounted the years during which Lanigan would relish the task of decorating the bridge for Prelude, on some years braving subzero temperatures and adverse weather conditions that might have discouraged a man of lesser dedication.
In perhaps a fitting touch of irony, adverse weather threatened to dampen the proceedings Tuesday. Kennebunkport Town Manager Larry Mead, the master of ceremonies for the occasion, began his address to the crowd as blue clouds rolled overhead, sending an intermittent drop of rain plunking onto the bridge as attendees donned hoods and opened umbrellas.
But in the end, the rain held out just long enough.
Stuart Barwise, the current chairman of the board of selectmen, pointed out that the bridge will stand as a timeless monument to the man for whom it is named.
“He amazed me with his giving of energy in every matter,” said Barwise. “He will always be present, as people are welcomed to our town crossing the Mathew J. Lanigan Bridge.”
As Jennifer Lanigan delivered the closing remarks, she and Mat’s 4-year-old daughter, Audrey, grabbed hold of the microphone in a burst of playfulness. Jennifer held her daughter and smiled.
“I hope Mat’s looking down on this and laughing,” she said.
— Staff Writer Jeff Lagasse can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 319 or jlagasse@journaltribune.com.
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