To the editor:
During the past Fourth of July weekend I have been reflecting on and reminiscing about our city and how it has changed and prospered during my lifetime.
I was born in 1940 and I have such fond memories of being a child and growing up in this city when the runways at the airport were built to accommodate the Army Air Force planes arriving and taking off for Europe during WW II, a four-lane main street built, and Air Force fighter jets buzzing over houses during the Korean War.
Our city has thrived because of its citizens, service clubs, volunteers, Scout troops, a good educational system and the work ethic that is so strong in Aroostook County. With this being said I am not quite so proud of our city government at this time. I feel that they have failed to address the needs of our community in many ways including the status of our city streets and their lack of concern for the recreation needs of our children by eliminating the outdoor and indoor pools.
Craig Green stated in his letter to the newspaper that fixing the current outdoor pool was not feasible and that plans were in place to build a new one.
I am asking the City Council and making this challenge to all people in Presque Isle: Let’s get together and get to work to make this happen now so our children won’t have to go through another summer without learning to swim and having a cool place to go on hot summer days.
Last week when the temps soared to near 90 degrees with high humidity our kids couldn’t even enjoy being able to enjoy a cool day at the pool. I can remember all the years of summers in that pool. I reluctantly agree that perhaps we don’t have to fix the pool but we, the citizens and the city government need to either fix the pool or build a new one and put this as priority one. Let’s get together to get a swimming pool for our kids by next summer.
A new recreation center and a new city hall should be put way on the back burner until Presque Isle has a new outdoor swimming pool.
Meta Gagnon Giggey
Presque Isle
