Editor:

As a Maine native and now Cape Elizabeth resident, I am proud of my state and town’s tradition of welcoming people who want to live or visit here. In that tradition, I am opposed to charging non-residents a fee to visit Fort Williams, this exceptional park with its historic lighthouse.

We who live here are fortunate that our town had the foresight in the 1960s to create a municipal park that would be open to all visitors, especially Mainers who may not have ready access to the ocean, the rocky coast and the outstanding view of Casco Bay and entrance to Portland Harbor. When my parents bought a small cottage in Hannaford Cove, my children and I spent our summers climbing the rocks and fishing off the Cunner Club’s point. My grandchildren are not so fortunate because so much property has been sold and new owners are not so welcoming. However, we can still go to Fort Williams at any time of year and picnic, hike, swim, sled, play tennis and fly kites with people from all over Maine and elsewhere.

Will the people of Cape Elizabeth join me on Tuesday, Nov. 7, and vote “no” to fees at Fort Williams? Let’s continue our tradition of welcoming everyone to our beautiful park.

Lois A. Carlson
Cape Elizabeth