Neighborhood: Pine Point
In Scarborough since: 2018
Spend winters in: Colorado (“I don’t come to Maine until the Bait Shed opens.”)
Grew up in: Bangor
What brought you here?
I’ve known about Pine Point since I was a kid visiting relatives in Portland during the summer. We would come to the beach for the day.
Later, my husband, family, and I spent ten summers in Harpswell but we always intended to get down to Pine Point. We looked at a few places and found a great old cottage. It was small and needed to be fixed up but it was on a big double lot. We love it.
What are some of your favorite childhood memories of Pine Point?
Growing up I remember digging in tidepools, looking for sand dollars, getting chocolate at Len Libby’s, and of course fried clams at Ken’s.
Why did you choose to buy a house in Pine Point?
We love the restaurants and the beach – everything is so close. I love that you can walk to so many great places and get really good food – the Stern, the Bait Shed, Salty Bay, the Garage, the Clam Bake, the Beach House market – we love them all.
It’s a nice, tight community. Everyone looks out for each other – helping clean up after a storm or bringing up garbage bins. In our neighborhood there is a ladies’ happy hour every Friday. We go to different houses. We have “sand dollar suppers” on the beach with our neighbors. It’s a special place.
What about Scarborough stood out to you when you first got here?
I was surprised by how much the town has grown since I was little.
Do you have a favorite time of day or year at Pine Point?
I walk on the beach nearly every day and I really like September, when it’s less crowded. As for my favorite day, soon it will be July 13 – the Pine Point Association’s first annual fundraiser. It’s going to be a lot of fun. Don Campbell is performing.
Why did you help form the Pine Point Association?
I wanted to get involved because I saw there were things everyone was worrying and talking about but there was no way of getting them done. It’s been nice to see people come together. I have really liked working with Police Chief Mark Holmquest on ways to keep Pine Point safe for everyone. He really cares about the community and we are lucky to have him.
How has it been launching a neighborhood association?
It’s been a lot of work setting it up but it has been fun meeting and working with new people. I’ve loved getting to know Town Councilor (and future State Senator, I hope) Don Hamill, longtime local John Thurlow, and Sumner Lipman, our political enthusiast. They are the group’s original architects. Right now we meet once a month. We’re getting ready for a community meeting on June 25 at 5pm at the fire station.
What is your greatest hope for Pine Point?
I want Pine Point to be a safe, welcoming, friendly place. I don’t want it to become exclusive. I know what it’s like to come as a visitor and I want to keep that openness.
A few years ago, two local women spearheaded a project to install a handicap ramp and benches, because they noticed that people in wheelchairs couldn’t use the beach. Afterward, I saw a woman with a walker using the bench and asked how she liked it. She started to tear up because even though she lives on Pine Point, she had not been able to come to the beach in 20 years due to her limited mobility. I just love that type of community spirit.
For my family, I hope that our cottage has a lasting legacy and is a place we keep forever, creating memories. It’s such a magical place for us.
What is something no one in town knows about you?
That I’m like a 12-year-old inside. (laughs) Or that I used to babysit for Stephen King’s family when I was growing up in Bangor. He used to pick me up in a windowless van with shag carpeting. It was so 1980s for my parents to let me get in that van with him.
You serve with George Mageles on the Pine Point Association board. What perspective or skills does he bring to the table as someone with lifelong ties to the area?
With his training as a therapist, George is a good president. People come to our meetings with strong opinions. Some don’t like change. George is a fantastic moderator. He stays calm and everyone feels heard. He has a calming presence.
