I was stunned by the 4-3 vote in favor of Scarborough’s Depot Street proposal following the comments by Councilors Rancourt, Sullivan, Roy, and D’Andrea during deliberation. We are giving up more land then we are getting in the land swap. No two-way traffic or a turnaround for adequate access to the beach down Depot Street. A large portion of the street would be limited to pedestrian traffic. Obviously the many presentations by the citizens and a petition signed by many asking the council to vote no on the proposal were unfortunately to no avail.

Once the land is gone it’s gone. There is no opportunity to revisit this important issue. Depot Street, which until a few years back was always open to the public, will no longer exist as we knew it. Certainly there is room for a more appropriate design that could be accomplished with further deliberation between both parties. One could get the impression that the majority of the council feels like this has gone on long enough, and that the plan represents the best alternative for public use. I do not agree and urge Councilors Sullivan or Roy to ask for reconsideration and a chance to return Depot Street to the public as it was for years in a more equitable manner.

Courtney Sargent Sr.
Scarborough