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2 days 18 hours ago

Lake Hiawatha updated their cover photo.

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3 days 20 hours ago

A 9 hole compromise-

A letter sent to senator Jeff Hayden:

Hello senator Hayden,
My name is Sean Connaughty, I am resident in Standish. volunteer steward at Lake Hiawatha, co-founder of Friends of Lake Hiawatha and I am on the CAC that is supposed to be developing a solution for this parkland.
We met awhile back to talk about the Lake and Hiawatha Golf Course. I would like to talk about this with you again.

As you know the Park board will be voting on whether or not to allow the CAC to make recommendations on continuing pumping at current rates on July 25th.

I am interested in helping develop a compromise between advocates for saving Hiawatha Golf Course and the needs of the ecology.
Here are the basic issues:

1. Hiawatha Golf Course is important to many in the community.
2. The north pipe storm sewer needs to be dealt with.
3. Pumping at current rates is not sustainable nor ecologically responsible.
4. These pollution sources urgently need to be addressed.
5. Flood mitigation is needed in the community, including protecting homes.

I have asked about this and the MPRB has said that 9 holes of golf in a reduced pumping scenario can work and that the CAC can develop such a plan.
Having a 9 hole course would meet halfway between the interests of both sides of this debate. The pollution issues could be resolved, A climate resilient solution found, and public access provided while better protecting homes and still operating a 9 hole Hiawatha Golf Course. In this way we can honor the history of the course and maintain it as a community asset. I am excited for the potential to work together on an outcome that works for everyone in the community and that moves past the divisiveness currently poisoning our community.
What do you think of that possibility?

That solution would require compromises from both sides of this public debate.

9 holes of golf and wetland restoration, pollution mitigation and open public access to parts of these new wetland spaces.

Sincerely,

Sean Connaughty

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1 month 3 days ago

compiling a biodiversity list, can you add to this?

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1 month 2 weeks ago

Plastic pollution kills animals. This is why the north storm sewer pipe urgently needs to be addressed. A ton of garbage enters Lake Hiawatha each year we do nothing.

We need to also pressure the producers that make plastic packaging. They should be taxed to fund cleaning up this mess that is global in scale. If you see litter in the streets, please pick it up.

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1 month 3 weeks ago

Yesterday was a good day at the lake. Today and tomorrow: Stay cool out there and hydrate everyone!

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