07-27-2020 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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From:Rachel Feldmann To:Anna Carlson; Dustin Rief Cc:Feldmann Rachel M Subject:Summit Park Proposal Letter Date:Monday, July 27, 2020 1:45:57 AM Dear Orono council members, I am writing to thank you for your service and your vision statement pursuit which is: “To be the residential community of choice and remain widely recognized for its preservation of natural rural beauty, quality of life, and recreational assets”. I encourage you to keep this vision at the front of your decision-making process & reject the proposal by the Long Lake Rowing Crew (LLRC) to build a boat club, docks, or storage facility at Summit Park. The LLRC currently comes in and out of Birch’s on the Lake Brewhouse & Supperclub. We feel this location should be the focus for their boat storage and water access. Because Birch’s is not a swimming beach, this location is not in conflict with the abundant recreation that is already occurring at Summit beach. Any plan presented by the LLRC to be able to share this beach use with their vessels coming in (backwards facing as they row) to nearby docks anywhere near the beach will drastically change the safety and nature of Summit Park Beach and decrease the recreational use and enjoyment at the park by the public. Summit Park is Orono’s largest swim beach, and should remain as such--a swimming beach-- because it is a valuable recreational asset the city should be protecting as Bruce Dayton, who gifted the park to the city for public use, originally intended. On a daily basis in the summer, and parts of other seasons as well, we have met people who choose to come from all over the twin cities to Summit Beach. They have told us they come to Summit because of the natural beauty and recreational assets and attraction it offers: wide open green spaces for play, sunbathing, picnicking, nature with wetlands and wildlife neighboring it, numerous trees for shade, lounging, hammocking, a beautiful water area where boaters can anchor down nearby and swim to the beach, as well as numerous other beach activities such as tube floating, swimming, kayaking, & canoeing. Adding a boat storage building to this beach and location would be a poor decision by the city council for a club that is already thriving elsewhere on the same lake (at Birch’s) and can continue to do so at that location. We are thankful a Mayor presides at Orono’s city council whose platform is to value full transparency in decision making and to have proper vetting and discussion over a decision such as this permanent structure being proposed at one of Orono’s public parks. As Mayor Walsh states on his platform page: “Preserving and maintaining Orono’s open space is a priority that we cannot afford not to protect and keep maintained, because once you lose it you will never get it back”. Well said! The world needs more open and natural spaces for the public use and enjoyment. Thank you, Council members, for listening. We are trusting you to maintain and beautify Summit Park to continue to support and improve the current public recreational use which is so highly valued by Orono.