07-27-2020 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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From:Gina Joyce To:Anna Carlson; Dustin Rief Cc:thomas.joyce@datadoghq.com Subject:Letter to the Orono City Council (July 27, 2020 Agenda Item #9 - LLRC Proposal) Date:Monday, July 27, 2020 9:50:37 AM Attachments:image003.png To the Orono City Council, We appreciate the opportunity to voice our opinion regarding the July 27, 2020 agenda item – the Long Lake Rowing Club proposal for a Boat House in Summit Beach Park. My husband and I live on Long Lake and value the thriving communities that call this lake home – both Long Lake and Orono residents alike. Our communities are welcoming to all, including the LLRC, which is part of the enjoyment that is felt here at Long Lake. There are also a variety of outside communities who cherish our treasured lake and seek refuge on our beaches for rest, relaxation, and enjoyment with family and friends. It is because of this, that we ask you to reject the LLRC proposal for a Boat House at Summit Beach Park. Having attended numerous LLRC proposal meetings, it is our observation that this proposal has outgrown its initial intent – a simple shelter to protect the crew’s watercraft – and become a mission for a members-only club house in place of what is intended to be a natural, diverse retreat for the public. As homeowners on the shores of Long Lake, as well as Long Lake Park Board Members, we have the pleasure of observing daily use of Summit Beach Park that is tranquil and diverse – diverse in activities as much as it is diverse in the cultural representation of families who enjoy it. From fishing, canoeing and reading in the hammocks among the trees, to swimming, sunbathing and jumping from the rope swing, this park brings families of all ethnicities together in harmony (my husband and I included). To force upon this public space a privatized, members-only club house would not only interrupt the ecosystem of the park’s natural settings, but could be detrimental to its multi-cultural community enjoyment. The proposed structure threatens the very essence and public nature of the park – no longer could children enjoy the rope swing nor hammock among the trees, parents would need to worry about safety near the beach in a way they hadn’t previously, and the burden of a low-income family having to explain to their children why they can’t partake in the rowing club’s activities on their day to the beach could be heartbreaking. While the LLRC says this can be a public/private partnership, the reality is that it’s unlikely, and the stark contrast of the haves and the have-nots in this proposal is just another reason why. It is our hope that the LLRC can find a way to maintain their operation at Birch’s, as their club has seen success over the years while operating in this facility, and we know the residents and restaurant goers alike enjoy seeing them part of our community.