I’m tired of seeing the newspaper repeatedly referring to municipalities investments in FirstPark as “lost.” Nothing is lost, and investments are exactly what they are.

True, the return on investment has been dismal, but nobody involved with the creation and operation of FirstPark could have predicted the economic beating central Maine and the FirstPark project took as a result of 9/11, as well as the surplus of facilities created by the closure of Brunswick Naval Air Station, MBNA in Belfast, etc.

I believe that the concept of collaboration among communities to create economic development opportunities is a good one. Yes, the build-out of FirstPark has been far slower than originally hoped. But the facility is a good one, and I would much rather see the newspaper supporting the concept than continually denigrating it.

Bruce Hills

Solon