To the editor:

We, the citizen members of the Topsham Community Fund Committee, enthusiastically endorse and support the expenditure of $26,000 of the remaining Quality of Life funds to develop concept designs for the redevelopment of the Green Street area in the Lower Village, including an appropriately sized waterfront park with public access to the Androscoggin River.

We understand that the selectmen have already voted to include on the warrant for the Nov. 30 special town meeting an article that would authorize this expenditure.

We note that these Quality Life funds were appropriated at town meetings in May 2005 and 2006 and were intended for the development of a waterfront park on Green Street. Accordingly, the authorization to expend these funds would be entirely consistent with the purpose for which they were appropriated.

We believe it is appropriate to recognize and support the present high interest in a Lower Village waterfront park that has been clearly demonstrated in the multiple public meetings held in connection with the ongoing study being conducted under the Shore and Harbor grant awarded to Topsham earlier this year.

This is particularly important because there are key parcels in the area that may become unavailable for park development if the town does not develop a timely and compelling design for a park.

Equally important, using these Quality of Life funds for their original intended purpose will provide the town with the necessary funding match to pursue additional grants to support the development of a downtown waterfront park.

We strongly encourage our fellow citizen to support the authorization of this expenditure at the Nov. 30 special town meeting.

Gary Fogg

Topsham Conservation

Commission

Grace Lewis-McLaren

Topsham Conservation

Commission

Fred Wigand

Topsham Development Inc.

Michael Colleran

Topsham Planning Board

Ed Mendes

Topsham Historic District

Commission