PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • December 5, 2022
I was intrigued by the recent column by Aaron Kitch regarding Bowdoin’s plan to improve its athletic fields (“Maine Voices: Redevelopment of Bowdoin athletic fields a cause for concern,” Nov. 26). Though he never revealed it, Professor Kitch lives next door to Bowdoin’s athletic fields. That makes me wonder if he has a genuine concern about the community or whether this is a “not in my backyard,” or NIMBY, viewpoint. Kitch references Maine farms and issues with PFAS. That is an entirely different situation. Kitch also references a new turf field in Portsmouth, NH, that was found to contain very low levels of PFAS. Independent investigators determined there was no human health risk. Bowdoin’s baseball and softball fields are inferior to the majority of high school fields. Let’s hope that local officials are not fooled by the narrow interests and scare tactics of the NIMBY crowd. ~ Anthony Wolverton, Brunswick