Twenty some years ago, we bought a camp on Great Pond to be close to our new granddaughter. We loved the lake and the quaint town. We shared with her the trips down the stream to get the mail, a bagel and, of course, Day’s Store. We most enjoyed the Fourth of July parade, farmers market and yard sales. We were in love with the “Rose of the Lakes.”

Also we supported the downtown improvements and when we arrived last May, in the middle of the virus fiasco, we were stunned by the village improvements. The donated park and gazebo, the brick side walks, the street lights, the spruce up of all the yards and buildings done by donations and villagers! What a bloom on the “Rose.”

This year, however, some of that bloom will fade. Sometime in the next couple of weeks, the Belgrade Planning Board will accept the application for an 11-acre commercial boat yard service, sales and storage area in the middle of the downtown Village residential area, where the health center property was once.

This marine service has the potential of becoming as large as, or larger, than Clark Marine of Manchester or Mid Maine Marine of Oakland. The impact from commercial traffic alone will be significant. This will affect some 20-plus residences along the stream serviced by the narrow, sad Hulin Road and an additional dozen or so stream residents serviced by the paved portion of the single lane even sadder Red Oak Lodge Road on to the three residence serviced by the 12-foot-wide gravel right of way.

This has all been accomplished without a town meeting being called, as recommended by the town survey and proposed in the Town of Belgrade Comprehensive Plan.

 

Terry Terhune

Belgrade Lakes

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