Time to save Bangor’s natural treasures

For the past decade, we have seen an increase in water flow and stream trash on the Penjajawoc coming from Hogan Road and Stillwater Avenue in Bangor. Spring and rain runoffs have been abnormal within this same time period.

We have lived on Young Street since 1983. In our back yard, it is not uncommon to have Class II/Class III rapids with plumes. Stream levels can rise 5 to 6 feet, even higher, in as many hours, during any rain, year round. The noise from the powerful current makes normal conversation impossible. Erosion of stream banks and undercurrents are downing trees.

A bridge on our property, constructed more than 40 years ago, remained sound until the ’90s, at which time it had to be rebuilt and reinforced on two occasions due to rain runoff in the months of June. One of these runoffs caused such a strong current, that the force bent a steel I-beam in half and carried it downstream about 20 feet.

Our family has owned land in the lower Penjajawoc area, near the Penobscot River, since 1912. As our 93-year-old grandmother can also attest, there have been drastic changes in water flow since the development of the Bangor Mall, but more recently in the past decade. Paul Butler, our neighbor, who died in 2000, was an engineer who knew sources of water supply. Bangor’s Water Treatment Facility is named in his honor. In his last years of living beside the stream since 1955, he expressed runoff concerns to the city and us. He, too, recognized the harmful effects taking place.

For some time, we have asked for “help” from Code Enforcement and City Engineering, but these have led to “dead ends.” City Engineer Jim Ring states that ponds for runoff prevent flooding into the stream. Our personal experiences suggest otherwise. We do not mind giving our patronage to local, Greater Bangor area businesses, built by local families. We do mind that development of such businesses continues, along with the cropping up of new, especially short-lived ones. Expansion increases impervious surfaces, which in turn has increased runoff.

BACORD (Bangor Area Citizens Organized for Responsible Development) has been helpful in searching for hopeful avenues to end the harmful effects and possible devaluation being caused to our land. BACORD is helping area residents voice concerns and care for Bangor. We support their efforts. More importantly, we support a moratorium on future development.

As residents and supporters for our community, we do not want our land destroyed or devalued. We do not want our city run like a business by people who cannot live in one place long enough to build a generation with fond and caring memories about what happens to that city. We support efforts to preserve and manage wildlife.

We do not want to live in a city like Boston, or even Portland. Enough is enough. Please support the Maine tradition of family and wildlife. Stop the irresponsible growth, lack of commitment and disregard for natural treasures.

Rae Fournier-Wren and Jeffrey Wren live in Bangor.