“You can’t stop it. You can only hope to contain it.” This quote is either from the movie “The Blob” or Sportscenter on ESPN. I’m not quite sure. Regardless, it is an apt quote for growth in Scarborough.

In 2021, Scarborough added a total of 419 dwelling units. This includes single family homes, apartments, affordable housing, etc. This is the highest number since 2017, when Scarborough added 499 dwelling units, and the second highest on record. It is understandable that this number would cause some anxiety. It is my experience as a teacher and parent that there are times to speak frankly and directly in order to address, and perhaps, quell anxiety.

Of the 419 dwelling units built in 2021, 400 of them were in the designated high growth areas of town and 19 of them were in the limited growth areas in town. The reality is that “The Blob” was contained — and will continue to be contained — primarily in The Downs neighborhood.  As a reminder, when completed, The Downs neighborhood is expected to:

• House approximately 4,000 people in approximately 2,000 dwelling units.

• Contain over 1,000,0000 square feet of commercial space.

• Include a new grocery store and wholesale club.

• Be home to IDEXX with hundreds of employees.

• Create a new town center with shops, eateries, and greenspace.

• Possibly be home to a new town-owned pool and/or new primary school.

• Possibly be home to a new Community Services Hub offering more childcare and senior programming.

• Possibly be home to a privately-owned ice rink and athletic fields that could be leased/rented by the schools and residents.

Some of this list is exciting and some of this list is scary; but, all of it is challenging to navigate.  We will be navigating this list for the next three to five years. In addition to what is inside of the The Downs neighborhood, there are many challenges outside the The Downs neighborhood that affect all of the residents of Scarborough:

• Increased traffic.

• More competition for Scarborough’s natural resources.

• Increased burden on Scarborough’s schools.

• More people at the post office and other common destinations.

In order to address the traffic, there will be approximately $12 million in traffic improvements over the next three years. None of these improvements are funded by increasing the property tax rate. For the natural resources, there has been an increased enthusiasm and support around putting more land in conservation thanks to the great work by the Scarborough Land Trust. Schools have had a bit of a rocky start due to COVID disruptions, but there are many people working on a solution for our overcrowded and outdated primary schools. Lastly, some of these issues should be left to the free market to decide (that’s right, not the town government).  Of course, all of this takes the time and energy of the many members of our volunteer committees (not just elected officials), and the fruits of their labor may take years to come to fruition.

Scarborough is known for its many distinct neighborhoods. Many of these neighborhoods house residents that reflect the desires of people during the growth period they were built in. It is time to accept that there is a new neighborhood in town being built in the growth period from 2015-2025. They value working from home, walking the dog on a sidewalk, and the sense of community and mutual responsibility required to live in such close proximity to each other.

We could call The Downs neighborhood, and the people that live there, “The Blob” but it is probably a lot nicer to call them our neighbor.

Now that we are all neighbors, let’s work together for a pool, updated schools and childcare, reasonable taxes, and better traffic flow.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Scarborough Town Council.