Letter: Vote yes on Question 4 to support Maine’s outdoor economy

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Outdoor recreation is a critical component of Maine’s economy. Many towns in Maine rely primarily on outdoor recreation for economic stability. However, Maine does not have a history of investing in this industry. If we pass the Maine trails bond, which is Question 4 on the Nov. 5 ballot, we will invest 30 million into designing, maintaining, and creating trails all over Maine. This bond can help Maine to capitalize on its crucial, yet fragile, outdoor recreation industry.
While trail work has always been a difficult activity, recent storm damage has increased the time, resources, and money to sustain safe and usable trails. Many of the trails in Maine, including here in the Kennebec Valley, are maintained by outdoor clubs, land trusts, and nonprofits that do not have the money and resources to recover from major storms. Yet, maintaining trails is critical for attracting tourists. Those tourists go to gift shops and restaurants downtown, keeping many local businesses open. This is one of the many reasons that towns like Greenville, Millinocket, Bethel, and Carrabassett Valley all support the trails bond.
We are lucky to live in a state with ample opportunity for outdoor recreation. However, we rely on hard-working, dedicated trail workers to turn opportunity into reality. Without the necessary funding and resources, land trusts, environmental nonprofits, and outdoor clubs will continue to struggle to maintain our trails, which will hurt our economy in turn. I urge you to vote “yes” on 4.
Kyle Arthenayake
Waterville
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