Editor:

Scarborough Downs has been a good neighbor to the town of Scarborough and the state of Maine for more than seven decades.

They have always conducted their business in a quiet and unassuming manner. The track has always served the community well by contributing to many charitable groups within the town and throughout the state. The Downs have always made their facilities available free of charge to many groups seeking to raise money for the needy portion of our community.

Scarborough Downs has also opened their doors to the elderly and supplied them with a place to gather during their “Golden Years.” These are the hard working people who helped build the town of Scarborough only to be left out in the cold by the town fathers and the voters to fend for themselves.

The track has been here longer than most people who now reside here and has always been a valued and contributing member of the town. On the other hand there seems to be a group within the town who seek to clog the town’s arteries with more condominiums, office buildings and strip malls. These types of developments are detrimental to preserving the quality of life in the town and only serve a few who would profit from such ventures. Preserving the natural beauty of the town is an important issue to every resident and I am certain that the people in Scarborough do not want to be denied their comfortable lifestyles.

Scarborough Downs represents the harness industry. Harness racing dates back to our earliest settlers and in fact is part of this state’s great heritage. It is also part of the backbone of the state’s $2 billion annual tourist business.

Preserving our track and maintaining the preservation of our heritage is as important as our town meetings, our church suppers and our country fairs.

I, as a member of the state’s elderly community, salute Scarborough Downs for being a vital and compassionate neighbor. And I hope that the town of Scarborough and the state of Maine will recognize seven decades of conducting themselves with dignity without our business community.

They most certainly have earned the right to be called a good neighbor.

Andrew Marresse

Saco