The OPA Staff would just like to wish all of our friends and neighbors a very happy Easter Season. The days are longer, the sun is stronger, spring has arrived!
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Happy Easter to All!
The OPA Staff would just like to wish all of our friends and neighbors a very happy Easter Season. The days are longer, the sun is stronger, spring has arrived!
Friday, March 21, 2008
A Spring Serenade
The OPA Staff are treated to a serenade by members of the Downeasters. Catch their show Saturday, May 3, at the Yarmouth High School Auditorium.For more information, call (207) 846.6841, or visit their website at www.downeasters.org.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Céad Míle Fáilte from Ocean Park!
The days are getting longer and the congregation of robins on the library lawn gets bigger every day – spring is just around the corner! As we gear up for summer, your Ocean Park Association wants to keep you updated and informed on the upcoming season:
Membership Matters!
Your membership renewals for 2008 are coming in strong; over 250 members have renewed since January. If you haven’t had a chance to do so yet, please consider renewing now. We’ve also had a strong response to requests for updates to contact information including email addresses, and many people have indicated their willingness to get the Bell Tower electronically. Of course, those people who have told us that they wish to still get the Bell Tower by mail will continue to get a hard copy. Our mailing to non-members has generated a dozen requests for membership applications so far.
Help Wanted:
We currently have these positions open for the 2008 summer season:
If you have ideas for people that might be interested, contact Ed Rea at 207-934-9068 or erea@oceanpark.org.
Host a Singer in your Home!
Ocean Park gave an enthusiastic welcome to the Boston based Saengerfest Men's Chorus when it appeared at the 2005 Music Festival and the chorus was thrilled with the acoustics in The Temple. Saengerfest is coming back this summer the weekend of July 26-27 and the choir members, where possible, would like to stay with Ocean Park residents. Home-stays are an enjoyable opportunity for choir members and their hosts to get to know each other (and to make Ocean Park converts!). If you live in Ocean Park and have a spare bedroom available for the nights of Saturday, July 26 and Sunday July 27 and would like to host a Saengerfest singer (and perhaps his spouse), please contact Kelly Brown or Ed Rea - 207-934-9068, kellybrown@oceanpark.org, erea@oceanpark.org.
...and finally...
For those of you celebrating St. Patrick's Day this month, here's a useful toast (provided by Kelly's grandmother, as Irish as Paddy's Pig. It's one of her favorites):
"May those that love us, love us.
"Those that don’t, may God turn their hearts.
"If He can’t turn their hearts, may He turn their ankles,
"So we’ll know them by their limping."
Membership Matters!
Your membership renewals for 2008 are coming in strong; over 250 members have renewed since January. If you haven’t had a chance to do so yet, please consider renewing now. We’ve also had a strong response to requests for updates to contact information including email addresses, and many people have indicated their willingness to get the Bell Tower electronically. Of course, those people who have told us that they wish to still get the Bell Tower by mail will continue to get a hard copy. Our mailing to non-members has generated a dozen requests for membership applications so far.
Help Wanted:
We currently have these positions open for the 2008 summer season:
- Rec. Hall Director
- Rec. Hall Assistant
- Custodial/light maintenance position.
If you have ideas for people that might be interested, contact Ed Rea at 207-934-9068 or erea@oceanpark.org.
Host a Singer in your Home!
Ocean Park gave an enthusiastic welcome to the Boston based Saengerfest Men's Chorus when it appeared at the 2005 Music Festival and the chorus was thrilled with the acoustics in The Temple. Saengerfest is coming back this summer the weekend of July 26-27 and the choir members, where possible, would like to stay with Ocean Park residents. Home-stays are an enjoyable opportunity for choir members and their hosts to get to know each other (and to make Ocean Park converts!). If you live in Ocean Park and have a spare bedroom available for the nights of Saturday, July 26 and Sunday July 27 and would like to host a Saengerfest singer (and perhaps his spouse), please contact Kelly Brown or Ed Rea - 207-934-9068, kellybrown@oceanpark.org, erea@oceanpark.org.
...and finally...
For those of you celebrating St. Patrick's Day this month, here's a useful toast (provided by Kelly's grandmother, as Irish as Paddy's Pig. It's one of her favorites):
"May those that love us, love us.
"Those that don’t, may God turn their hearts.
"If He can’t turn their hearts, may He turn their ankles,
"So we’ll know them by their limping."
Sláinte!
Thursday, March 6, 2008
OPA Community Update: Marina News
There were only a handful of people in the audience at Tuesday night’s Old Orchard Beach Council meeting; OPA was represented by Phil Denison, Marc Guimont and I. The Council voted 5-0 to add amphibious vehicles to the definition of water toy in the ordinance but not to add the language to ban them. Council members argued that motorized vehicles are already banned from Town beaches, that amphibious vehicle use of the beach would require Council approval of a license, that the future use of “ducks” for sightseeing should not be foreclosed, and that the use of amphibious vehicles for construction and support of a marina could/should be considered when and if a marina proposal comes before the Council. It became clear before the vote that Chairman Long was the only Council member in favor of the outright ban.
Phil, Marc and I all spoke briefly in favor of the ban; we were the only speakers on the issue last night. Councilor Frenette, who is typically the most vocal of the Councilors, said that she had received many “well written” emails in favor of the ban, mostly from people she had never heard of – presumably Ocean Parkers: thank you Ocean Parkers!
Phil and I had the chance to introduce ourselves to the new Town Manager, Stephen Gunty, and I expect to meet with him in the coming weeks.
The Council action was upstaged by action at the State level on Monday:
…………………………………………………………………………………………
Saco Bay Development Moratorium Proposed
By Seth Harkness Portland Press Herald Staff Writer March 04, 2008 12:12 PM
A legislative committee is recommending an 18-month moratorium on development in Saco Bay. The Committee on State and Local Government made the recommendation yesterday after meeting to discuss a bill that would have given Old Orchard Beach control of the coastal waters up to three miles off the town's shore. The bill was introduced by Old Orchard Representative George Hogan in response to a lease agreement signed last year between the city of Saco and a developer proposing to build a large offshore marina. Historically, Saco has controlled the waters off Old Orchard. The moratorium would allow the four communities surrounding Saco Bay - Saco, Old Orchard, Biddeford and Scarborough - to come up with a plan that would allow for local input in managing the bay. The moratorium still requires approval from the Legislature.
………………………………………………………………………………………...
The moratorium proposal replaces Hogan’s bill to give OOB control over the Bay waters in front of the Town. It is our understanding that the bill will probably pass the legislature. In addition, the State Attorney General’s Office has ruled that the State owns and controls the Saco Bay waters. The net result of all of this is that it is highly unlikely that there will be further action on the marina proposal in the next 18 months and perhaps ever.
We will continue to keep you updated as events unfold.
Ed Rea
Executive Director
Ocean Park Association
"...more than a day at the beach"
207-934-9068
Phil, Marc and I all spoke briefly in favor of the ban; we were the only speakers on the issue last night. Councilor Frenette, who is typically the most vocal of the Councilors, said that she had received many “well written” emails in favor of the ban, mostly from people she had never heard of – presumably Ocean Parkers: thank you Ocean Parkers!
Phil and I had the chance to introduce ourselves to the new Town Manager, Stephen Gunty, and I expect to meet with him in the coming weeks.
The Council action was upstaged by action at the State level on Monday:
…………………………………………………………………………………………
Saco Bay Development Moratorium Proposed
By Seth Harkness Portland Press Herald Staff Writer March 04, 2008 12:12 PM
A legislative committee is recommending an 18-month moratorium on development in Saco Bay. The Committee on State and Local Government made the recommendation yesterday after meeting to discuss a bill that would have given Old Orchard Beach control of the coastal waters up to three miles off the town's shore. The bill was introduced by Old Orchard Representative George Hogan in response to a lease agreement signed last year between the city of Saco and a developer proposing to build a large offshore marina. Historically, Saco has controlled the waters off Old Orchard. The moratorium would allow the four communities surrounding Saco Bay - Saco, Old Orchard, Biddeford and Scarborough - to come up with a plan that would allow for local input in managing the bay. The moratorium still requires approval from the Legislature.
………………………………………………………………………………………...
The moratorium proposal replaces Hogan’s bill to give OOB control over the Bay waters in front of the Town. It is our understanding that the bill will probably pass the legislature. In addition, the State Attorney General’s Office has ruled that the State owns and controls the Saco Bay waters. The net result of all of this is that it is highly unlikely that there will be further action on the marina proposal in the next 18 months and perhaps ever.
We will continue to keep you updated as events unfold.
Ed Rea
Executive Director
Ocean Park Association
"...more than a day at the beach"
207-934-9068
Monday, March 3, 2008
Saco Bay Moratorium and Management proposal
There are now meetings today (Monday, 3/3/08) and tomorrow (Tuesday, 3/4/08) related to the Saco Bay marina proposal.
The attached (via web link, see below) proposals for a Saco Bay Management Plan and a short-term moratorium on development in Saco Bay will be on the agenda of the Saco City Council on today March 3), 7pm, at the Saco City Hall, 300 Main Street in Saco.
Don't forget Tuesday evening’s OOB Council session which will vote on the proposal to ban amphibious vehicles from Town beaches. In addition to this vote, the meeting will approve the hiring of Stephen Gunty as Town Manager. Gunty is now the Ellsworth Town Manager.
-----------------------------------
please note: if you click on any of the following links, you'll have to use your browser's "back" button to return to this page!
TO VIEW the Management Plan and Moratorium, click here.
(Remember to scroll all the way down the page - it's a big one!)
TO VIEW the Town Council Meeting Agenda for Tuesday, March 4, 2008, click here.
TO VIEW an article related to this week's meetings, published online by keepMEcurrent.com, click here.
The attached (via web link, see below) proposals for a Saco Bay Management Plan and a short-term moratorium on development in Saco Bay will be on the agenda of the Saco City Council on today March 3), 7pm, at the Saco City Hall, 300 Main Street in Saco.
Don't forget Tuesday evening’s OOB Council session which will vote on the proposal to ban amphibious vehicles from Town beaches. In addition to this vote, the meeting will approve the hiring of Stephen Gunty as Town Manager. Gunty is now the Ellsworth Town Manager.
-----------------------------------
please note: if you click on any of the following links, you'll have to use your browser's "back" button to return to this page!
TO VIEW the Management Plan and Moratorium, click here.
(Remember to scroll all the way down the page - it's a big one!)
TO VIEW the Town Council Meeting Agenda for Tuesday, March 4, 2008, click here.
TO VIEW an article related to this week's meetings, published online by keepMEcurrent.com, click here.
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