I just don't get it. Government money going for river parks and trails along a river. I spent a good part of my life along the river but had to walk through the woods to get there. And the river was still as beautiful in spite of the fact there was no paved trail to get to it. Cut breakfast to the elderly but waste money on projects like this. It's no wonder our Nation is in such financial disaster. Who the hell cares about all this developement when people are going without fuel and food. The voters need to stop voting for this waste.

SEwmama has it right.. these types of projects are crazy for these times.. grand Isle population 150 gets 650k...??let local tax money voted in by their citizens pay for it...this is a misuse of what municipal bonds are supposed to fund..

I first heard this news last night on the six o'clock news as I was getting ready to go to my school board meeting where we were trying to figure out how to cut another $69500.00 dollars from our buget due to state cutbacks. We can't afford to fund pur most basic public needs yet we vote to borrow more money and pay interest on it? All state bonds should be put on hold until the economy has a chance to rebound. If we can't afford education, roads, help for elderly, then we certainly can't afford the luxury of pork barrell spending! Maine is starting to look more and more like Alaska!

These grants are an excellent investment proposition for the citizens of Maine. For one thing they are very competitive and I for one am confident that the state agencies responsible for targeting these types of funds are making the right calls on choosing which projects are going to provide the best return on investment. By creating or enhancing recreational opportunities and otherwise improving the quality of life downtown they help to counteract sprawling development patterns and the New Jerseyization of Maine's dwindling open spaces and other natural resources.

Resonable people can disagree on the style -- sewmama's idea that riverfront access is not altogether "enhanced" by paved trails is interesting, for sure -- but how anyone can say that these expenditures will set us back financially in the long run I do not understand. Sure beats construction of "regional" schools or other facilities outside of our downtowns. We need to shore up water and sewer infrastructure downtown not extend those services here and there and everywhere that private development interests lead us with promises of increased tax revenue.

We need schools, jobs, housing and shopping that people can walk to and development patterns that will allow public transportation to function efficiently. Our grandparents knew all this but somehow we forgot. All the good ideas lead back to "recycling" Maine's under-served downtowns and preventing private development interests from making a quick buck on sprawl. All over the state and in economic development circles nationwide people are realizing that downtown revitalization pays dividends and the supposed benefits of sprawl are nothing but a mirage.

Very briefly this summer we all got a glimpse of what life is like when we have to pay a fair price for gallon of gas (compare to other developed countries). Does anyone think today's artificially low prices will hold? Is that not reason enought to invest in our downtowns? All depends how much longer we can afford to occupy Iraq I suppose. I wish we could have Maine's share of that insane investment strategy back in our hands. In case you haven't guessed already I'd have liked to see that money go in to more downtown revitalization projects of this kind.

Bluegreenjames sounds like he/she is part of our state's massive spending habit, as these expenditures are simply part of the democrat's political machine toward socialism. Do a little research and you will see this is 100% true, and it's only going to get worse when Obama starts his pro-tax and spending spree.

Citizens should look and see who is behind this project! This is not the time to be bringing this to the table. A month ago I smelled smoke outside my home in Brewer. After sweeping my regular night time drive looking for the homeless. I found a family of five and a eight month old baby living in a cluster of boxes trying to get warm. Their was no place in our shelters to take these precious people. The shelter in Bangor couldnt take them because their are too many sex offenders...they dont take children. Ellsworth was full and their wasnt a place in this area to take them. This is why I open up my home. Our network of concerned people took them in and helped them. Their are people as we speak on our river banks who need help. People are not aware of what is around them. Maybe you drive by families like this and say and see nothing. How about the professor who lives on the streets of Bangor? Have you ever met him and heard his story.....Shame of the ones behind this funding!