We believe there are many neighbors who care passionately about Winslow Way and its future. No other issue has stirred up more ink on paper or created more anxiety, and rightly so.

Winslow Way is our community living room, where our family and friends stroll and meet up at the bakeries, restaurants, ice creamery, bookstore, galleries and retail spaces. Winslow Way is where we gather for the holidays – trick or treating, caroling, parading and dancing in the street.

Winslow Way is ultimately the island’s most-used, most-shared place. We should certainly be careful and cautious to not mess up a good thing.

We’ve heard folks say, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Sure, that rolls easy off the tongue. But when you see video footage of the cracked sewer, watch the Earth Corps students installing stormwater filters, or know someone who’s fallen because of the cracked sidewalks, surely one would say, “Honey, it’s broke. We’ve got to fix it.”

“Well, what’s holding off for one more year going to hurt?” Not going forward on this project means returning $7 million in grant money. Our cost would go from $4.2 million in 2010 to $14 million in 2011. Do you feel the pain yet? And every year delayed, just keep adding another million. Ouch!

But it’s not just about the money; it’s about our environment and our neighbors. Do you really think there’s someone out there willing to say, “I don’t mind if my car pollution keeps running off into Eagle Harbor” or “It’s OK that folks in wheelchairs can’t easily move along Winslow Way”?

We don’t think so. We care about our neighbors, our environment and our downtown.

Our common ground is Winslow Way. And our desire to fix Winslow Way is a sign, even in uncertain times, that we are prepared for a brighter future.

Bainbridge residents:

Debbi Lester, Leslie Marshall, Jon Quitslund, William J. Johnson, Michael and Trude Lisagor,

Amy Aspell, William Langemack, David Cinamon, Babara Trafton,

Bill Luria, Victoria Josslin, John Hays, Susan Wood, Sarah Wen