Civic infrastructure defines a town

While municipalities are in the business of developing and maintaining physical infrastructure like roads, bridges and telephone lines, it’s also the job of government to provide space in which community can happen. For the town of Cambridge, the opportunity to explore the purchase of the Cambridge Community Center is a way we can expand our civic infrastructure and preserve a piece of the community that has become a valuable asset.

When families are deciding whether to settle in a specific area, it is civic infrastructure that plays a role in their decision. Does the town have a good school, programming and care for children, opportunities for recreation and a strong sense of community? When civic infrastructure clearly exists in a town, families are more likely to settle down, buy property, become taxpayers and support local businesses.

Currently run as a nonprofit, the center already provides a space where people of all ages can connect through recreational programming, camps, birthday parties, vaccination clinics, community events and fundraisers. If the town votes yes to pursue the purchase of the Cambridge Community Center, these programs can continue and grow to include child care, teen and senior programming.

I am a member of the Cambridge Selectboard, but my views do not represent the rest of the board. However, I think they should. If we ignore the extremely valuable pieces of civic infrastructure in our town, we will lose the answer to why we live where we live.

This Town Meeting Day, I encourage Cambridge residents to vote yes on Article 11, allowing the town to pursue the purchase of the Cambridge Community Center. Let’s ensure that this valuable piece of infrastructure can remain in our community.

Courtney Leitz

Cambridge