Dear Editor:

I know there have been concerns raised about the effect that Coastal Maine Botanical Garden’s expansion will have on the drinking water of this peninsula. I live and work in this community as do 42 members of our dedicated staff. Our kids go to school here and we all drink our water. We are your friends, your neighbors and sometimes even your relatives and we care deeply about this community and its future. You have my word that CMBG will not harm Knickerbocker Lake. On the contrary, I believe that with the improvements to our road and parking lots and much better stormwater management we will actually improve the quality of water coming into the lake from our property.

You may not agree with this, but I ask for the sake of our wonderful staff and their families that you keep the discourse civil. My door is always open and I am happy to hear any concerns and answer any questions. Construction is messy, even ugly at times and believe me, none of us at CMBG like cutting down trees. I am keenly aware of the disruption this construction is having on some of our neighbors too, and for that I am sincerely sorry. Please remember though that just five years ago we completed a construction project on the same scale as this. Coming to the Gardens today it is hard to imagine the piles of dirt and rock where trees and flowers now grow. It will take a bit of time, but once the excavators are done, we will replant thousands more trees and it will be more beautiful than ever. We are doing all of this for two simple reasons: we want to create a place of joy and learning for all our guests, and we absolutely believe that these guests will mean greater prosperity for our community.

Bill Cullina

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens