Visitor Center ‘Nightmare’
To the editor:
Re “Select Board Balks at Plan for Stellwagen Center” [Sept. 5, front page]:
I am horrified by the proposed building of a huge visitor center at the base of MacMillan Pier. While I applaud the work of NOAA and the Center for Coastal Studies, the impact on the town would be devastating. The proposed plan is an architect’s dream in terms of income but a nightmare for Provincetown.
Erecting a tall building on this historic pier would ruin its character as a working wharf. It would block the view of the water, dwarf the existing buildings, and look completely out of place. Commercial fishermen already have to deal with tourists swarming the pier; their access and work would be even more difficult.
Given the rising sea level and the increasing frequency and severity of storms, it’s a poor place to build even an elevated structure. At least 60 parking spaces, which are already in very short supply in Provincetown, would be lost. Relocating those spaces to Route 6 is financially prohibitive and impractical, as many people would be unable to walk from there to the center of town.
And this project would make a statement: we cater to tourists at the expense of residents. Is it acceptable to spend millions of dollars on a grand visitor center that blights the landscape when the cost and shortage of available housing already stymie residents and workers? Should you increase the tax burden on property owners, many of whom would not benefit at all from the Stellwagen Center?
Don’t let Provincetown lose its wonderful small-town vibe. Don’t put the interests of tourists above those of the people who live here, make a living and a community here, and make the town what it is.
Louise Watson
Truro and Bristol, Vt.
Beyond Weird
To the editor:
At a recent campaign event sponsored by Moms for Liberty, Donald Trump falsely claimed that children are being forced into gender transition operations at schools.
“The transgender thing is incredible,” he said. “Think of it. Your kid goes to school, and he comes home a few days later with an operation. The school decides what’s going to happen with your child.”
That’s way beyond weird. It’s unhinged.
Mike Rice
Wellfleet
Letters to the Editor
The Provincetown Independent welcomes letters from readers on all subjects. They must be signed with the writer’s name, home address, and telephone number (for verification). Letters will be published only if they have been sent exclusively to the Independent. They should be no more than 300 words and may be edited for clarity, accuracy, conciseness, and good taste. Longer pieces (up to 600 words) may be submitted for consideration as op-ed commentary. Send letters to [email protected] or by mail to P.O. Box 1034, Provincetown, MA 02657. The deadline for letters is Monday at noon for each week’s edition.
