This letter concerns the upcoming vote on June 14 that will decide the fate of the Thomaston Green. The residents of Thomaston are fortunate to have a large open green space with gorgeous views of the St. George River.  Leaving the space open for the benefit of all lends itself to becoming a true community park with many options: picnic pavilions, gardening plots, a covered band venue in the historic prison wall corner, an arboretum or just leave it in its current state.

There is enough open space to accommodate event tents, the Fourth of July festivities, weddings, farmers markets, etc.  The only structure allowed to build on the present Green should be a new fire department fronting Route 1 with public accessible restrooms at the rear.

The Knox Clinic is desiring to purchase a portion of land on the Thomaston Green for the purposes of building a new clinic.  It is my opinion that the community would be better served if the Knox Clinic were to use a mobile unit that visited a different underserved area of Knox County one day a week. 

Building a bricks and mortar facility on the Thomaston Green would not be all that beneficial to folks who live on the St. George peninsula, or in Cushing, Friendship, Union, Washington and Appleton. These clients would still have to drive quite a distance for medical care as they do presently. 

I was able to successfully launch All Creatures Veterinary Hospital in 1988 with a fully equipped mobile unit by visiting each of those communities one day a week. The service was much appreciated in those outlying areas and the overhead was low.

Should the Knox Clinic choose a permanent facility, there are other spots available that will not destroy green space.  They should pursue those options especially in Rockland, which is a centralized location and easily accessible. Building with bricks and mortar does not help to reduce our carbon footprint.  Continuing to have trees and grass does that. 

Thomaston was once known as the town with the Maine State Prison, which was an eyesore along our beautiful Main street. Much of those tormented brick walls and mortar were buried on site and have become history. This area then became one of beauty atop the rubble.  Let us therefore strive to make Thomaston the Midcoast town known for its spacious park, a place of respite above the river to be enjoyed by all of us who are so blessed to freely walk and play there. Let’s keep it a space of which we can be proud!

I encourage all eligible Thomaston residents to do their civic duty and come out to vote at the town meeting on June 14 at 6 p.m. Please vote to keep our green space green.  I will be there to vote No on Articles 3 and 5 in order to save our unique green space to be enjoyed by one and all. 

Mimi R. Moore lives in Thomaston