Sept. 28, 1988

Peter Curran, athletic and activities director at Westbrook High School, has taught at the school for close to 20 years. He knows firsthand the problems that exist in the building, and pointed them out during a walking tour, talking about how the proposed $6.5 million addition up for a referendum vote Nov. 8 will help out. Meanwhile, at a public hearing on the bond, Westbrook’s mayor and aldermen voted their unanimous support for the project. If passed, three new additions would be built on the school. A new kitchen will be added to the cafeteria along with an expanded dining area. An addition to the three-story wing closest to the parking lot will provide a new library, eight classrooms and seven science labs. A third addition to the gym would build new boys and girls locker rooms and 100 more bleacher seats. The total square footage of the three additions is 47,800.

The Westbrook Fire Department is getting its turn at hosting the annual Cumberland County Fire Prevention parade and members are going to make a big deal of it. The parade, Oct. 8, will lat more than an hour. Then, in the park, there will be speeches, music and fire prevention demonstrations and displays pushing this year’s theme – the life-saving value of smoke detectors.

Despite concerns that it may be unenforceable, Gorham Police Chief David Kurz agreed Thursday to recommend to the Town Council that signs be put up to prevent Fort Hill Road-bound traffic from using Water and Church streets to shortcut the Gorham Village intersection. Following persistent requests by Church and Water street residents, Kurz agreed that a No Through Traffic sign could be placed at the entrance to Water Street from Main Street. Do Not Enter and No Left Turn signs could then be placed at the entrance to Church from Water Street, which would block cars from using Church to get to Fort Hill Road. He will likely present his recommendation at the council’s first meeting in October.

David Lemieux, Osborne Road, Gorham, a merchant marine, has left for a four-month trip to Spain, Portugal, Greece and France. He is an engineer on an oil tanker and resides with his parents, Robert and Evelyn Lemieux.

Mr. and Mrs. William L. Clarke, 333 Spring St., Westbrook, traveled to Oakland Sept. 18 for a visit with their daughter and family, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel W. Randall (Lisa Clarke), Tyler and Kurt. They celebrated Lisa’s birthday by going to a restaurant to eat.

Miss Maine 1988, Lisa Kent, is the leader of the Easy Riders Horse 4-H Club of Gorham. She is the owner and operator of Kent’s Stables, Gorham, and is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David A. Kent, Fort Hill Road, Gorham. The big event for 4-H’ers is the Cumberland Fair, which runs this week. Next week is National 4-H Week.

Coming up: The Westbrook Senior Citizens will host juggler Randy Judkins at their Oct. 3 meeting at St. Mary’s Parish Hall; the Westbrook Adult and Community Education program is sponsoring a three-part, nine-hour Successful Money Management Seminar to be held at Westbrook High School starting Oct. 6; a gala Alumni-Faculty Concert is planned for Oct. 1 at Corthell Concert Hall on the University of Southern Maine Gorham campus as part of Homecoming ’88; a bean supper is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 1, at the White Rock Community Club, Gorham, with beans, hot dogs, salads, biscuits, pies and shortcake for $4.

Sept. 30, 1998

A grassy divider strip down the middle could help convert William Clarke Drive from a speedway to a boulevard, from a liability in downtown Westbrook to an asset, planners working with the Downtown Revitalization Task Force report. They also suggest restoring some parking along Main Street. What is cost in traffic flow would be repaid in pedestrian safety and easier access to businesses, says the report. Downtown Westbrook can be “a vibrant community center for commerce and culture,” said Land Design Group, Ellsworth, the professional planners who won a $27,500 contract from the city for their advice. They submitted drafts of several reports this week to the task force.

Two incumbents, a former councilor and a newcomer will compete for three seats on the Gorham Town Council Nov. 3. After six years on the council, William Wise has chosen to step down this year. Norman Justice, who joined the council with Wise, is seeking a third term. Bill Chicoine is seeking a second term. Rounding out the field are former Councilor Burleigh Loveitt and newcomer Andrew McCullough.

Westbrook High School’s librarian, Deborah Locke, chooses books that are of a maturity level for young adults, she has told the School Committee. Her comments came after the committee defeated an order authorizing the purchase of a long list of books, some of them about homosexuality. The committee then changed its mind and approved the purchase. “I’m looking first of all for books that are recommended because of their quality and accuracy, the authority of their authors, the accuracy of the information, the degree in which it’s documents – and high artistic merit. The second thing I’m looking for is how it fits in our curriculum. Thirdly, I’m looking for what gaps, what weaknesses in our existing collection exist.”

Alderman John O’Hara pressed his Westbrook City Council Highways Committee Monday to charge all-day parkers in downtown city parking lots $15 a month. Others present and Police Chief Steven Roberts had reservations. O’Hara estimated that 110-130 employees of downtown businesses park for more than eight hours in spaces shoppers could use. The money would help pay for maintenance of the lots and for downtown improvements, he said. O’Hara also called for enforcing a two-hour limit in those parking spaces not occupied by $15 permit holders.

Plans for a 7,500-square-foot day care center near the Gorham Federal Credit Union and a 16-18 unit apartment over-55 condo project at the nearby intersection of Main Street and Libby Avenue are before the Gorham Planning Board. Both are proposed by Harvey E. Sawyer III, Waterhouse Road, Gorham, whose family has had interests at the Main Street-Libby Avenue corner for years. The day care would be on 1.66 acres at 381 Main St. The condos would be on 4.14 acres with access on a new street.

50 YEARS AGO

The Westbrook American reported on Sept. 25, 1963, that Emma Mosher of Gorham would entertain the Cosmopolitan Club at her summer home at Pine Point in Scarborough.

Mrs. Gerald Ames of Buxton received a trip to Los Angeles, Calif., as one of the winners in the Pillsbury cake contest. She made a chocolate cake with cherry filling.

Lynn’s Lunch was once located at 427 Warren Ave., when Warren Avenue ran from the Portland line, between S.D. Warren and the Cumberland Mills Fire Station, ending just before the Warren Library. The portion of Warren Avenue between Cumberland Street and the Warren Library was renamed Harnois Avenue in honor of Chief Pierre Harnois, first permanent chief of the Westbrook Police Department and killed assisting other law enforcement agencies in Limerick in May 1959. Lynn’s Lunch was owned and operated by Harlan and Evelyn Rounds. The business closed in the mid 1960s and the building was removed. The site is now is part of the parking lot for the Maine Medical Building that was built on the site of the old police station. To see more historical photos and artifacts, visit the Westbrook Historical Society at the Fred C. Wescott Building, 426 Bridge St. Inquiries can be emailed to westhistorical@myfairpoint.net. The website is www.westbrookhistoricalsociety.org.