David Dutremble
The bridge opened back in the spring, but the ceremony on September 19 paid tribute to the literal and symbolic link between two of York County’s largest communities. It was a day of celebration, marked by local and state officials, including Gov. Paul LePage.
According to media reports, the governor remarked on the renaissance of sorts taking place in Biddeford and Saco, saying the two cities were a model of cooperation that set an example for other municipal pairs in our state.
“Look what working together does,” LePage said.
I couldn’t agree more. Biddeford and Saco show us that when we work together, we can accomplish great things. Exemplified by the reinvigoration of our mills and other business and community development efforts, our twin cities are a case study in effective collaboration.
That makes it all the more ironic that the new pedestrian bridge we celebrated that day is a short walk away from the Biddeford RiverWalk Park, also known as Mechanics Park.
The city of Biddeford and several community partners have worked to make the park a crucial part of the entire RiverWalk project. The existing facilities there already provide recreation, exercise and scenic opportunities for residents and visitors alike, and planned improvements, such as a small boat launch, would contribute to the further revitalization of our city.
The Land for Maine’s Future board, charged with identifying worthy conservation and recreation projects for state support, recognized the importance of the park for future generations last year, when its members unanimously voted to allocate $35,000 in state funds to expand and improve Mechanics Park as part of the RiverWalk project.
That’s a small piece of the more than $11 million LMF has allocated – with voter approval – for projects around the state, conserving natural resources, family farms, working waterfronts and recreational sites just like Mechanics Park.
LMF is a partnership between conservationists, communities like Biddeford, and the voters of Maine who have chosen to support the work of Land For Maine’s Future time and time again.
But as you know, the RiverWalk Park never got the LMF money it had been promised. Gov. LePage is standing in the way of it and other deserving projects by refusing to release the voterapproved LMF funds. He’s holding the bonds hostage because a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers opposed his plan to increase private harvesting of trees on public land – an issue completely unrelated to Land for Maine’s Future.
The governor’s “my way or the highway” approach sure makes his big talk about working together sound hollow to me.
Great things are happening in Biddeford as we and our neighbors come together around a common vision for our future, and I’m confident that our march toward progress will continue – with or without Gov. LePage’s support.
But our community would much rather have the governor as a partner than a roadblock. I urge Gov. LePage to release the voterapproved bonds immediately, so that our RiverWalk and the other important conservation projects around the state can get back on track.
— Democratic Sen. David Dutremble represents Senate District 32, which includes Alfred, Arundel, Biddeford, Dayton, Kennebunkport and Lyman.
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