MX207 MX207 a Well-Kept Secret

VOLUME 14, ISSUE 19 PO Box 75, North Waterboro, ME 04061 • 247-1033 • [email protected] FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016 FREE www.waterbororeporter.com LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED MX207 A well-kept secret BY BRIGIT MCCALLUM After buying the property in [email protected] 2003, Stuart, his sons and crew began to clean up the 85 acres and “Happy Season!” was the hap- build the track. “It took a couple py cry from the driver of a white of years, but it kept changing, and pickup as she entered the regis- it’s still changing. It’s never done!” tration area at MX207 at the Ly- Elements of the track development man-Waterboro line on Routes included a mini track for young 5 and 202 on opening day, April riders in a protected environment, 30. While most locals drive by the the major track itself, and a sys- green and white sign on the side of tem of ponds. There was also the road without notice, it is a des- need for a large “pit” for the host tination for riders of motorcycles of RVs, trucks, and every kind of of all sizes and sorts from all over equipment conceivably related to New England, and is even on the the sport of motocross as well as national stage in the sport of moto- vendors dealing in parts, tires, and cross bike racing. food. Stuart calls the encampment Prior to 2005, the 80-plus acres a “temporary campground,” aka at 53 Bartlett Bridge Road in Ly- “overnight parking.” A more recent man was a large sand pit that was development is “Bartlett Bridge frequented by off-road vehicle Raceway, a clay go-kart track now riders. In 2003, Bill Stuart and his open for its second season, alter- family looked at the land. Bill had nating Friday evenings races with an interest in building and living The Saco Pathfi nders track. there, but his wife Katherine was As they began to create what determined to live on the water. would become MX207, what they So, two years later, with a season- had to work with was dirt. Whether al home on Lake Arrowhead, and sand, clay, loam or any combination a home base in Duxbury, Massa- thereof, Stuart says dirt is the basic chusetts, Stuart opened MX207, ingredient of a motocross track. which was destined to become a “You take a sand pit and riders are destination for bikers, and a highly all over the place, going in every regarded track for devotees of mo- direction. A track, that’s complete- tocross racing. ly different. Stuart says they started Stuart had grown up racing with what was there, terrain-wise, motorcycles in the 60s, as the and went from there. “The dirt sport was developing in the US, makes the track, the dirt can speed and raced in his teens and twen- up or slow down bikes. It’s a sci- Derek Souliere of East Waterboro racing at the MX207 track in Lyman on April 30. ties. “Back then the bikes were all ence, and we’re always learning.” PHOTO BY EASTERN MOTOCROSS NETWORK European made, with none made Next in importance to the dirt in Japan or the US.” Living in of the track is moisture. “Too lit- the Braintree area, he raced with tle and the whole area becomes a friends on tracks in Massachusetts dust bowl, the safety factor is lost Master Gardeners and around New England. He lat- and it becomes a nuisance for the er got away from the sport until neighbors. Too much and the track at work his own kids got interested in dirt is mud, which does not make for a bikes. Two sons and a daughter got good race.” into it in the early 90s, and he was Therefore the other essential back. “We were always looking to the track’s infrastructure is an for places to practice and to race, extensive irrigation system, with but both environmental issues and spring-fed ponds and more than legislation limited places to ride 360 water heads rising above the and feel safe. The trend was to- entire extent of the large and mini ward private practice tracks.” This tracks. These are fi lled by a num- led the way to what would eventu- ber of spring-fed ponds through ally become MX207. (Continued on page 5) Support shown for second contract deputy BY BRIGIT MCCALLUM at a cost not to exceed $110,000.” [email protected] Public Safety Committee Chair Ted Doyle explained that the com- About twenty Waterboro res- mittee started with a mandate to idents attended a public hearing explore options for meeting the on May 10 and all who spoke had town’s law enforcement needs strong sentiments in favor of pay- back in 2014. Citing the large ex- ing what it will cost to add a sec- pense of funding a town police ond contract deputy for the town. department, and drawing on the The referendum item to appear different experiences of Shapleigh on the June 14 ballot reads, “Shall and Buxton, Doyle stated, “It is the town enter into a contract with not cost effective for the town to the York County Sheriff’s Offi ce have its own department, and it Master Gardeners Nancy Dennett, left, and Melita Baker were hard at work this week in an Alfred garden potting to provide a second contract dep- is ridiculous to think one contract lilies for the annual sale on May 21. See page 2 for more. PHOTO BY ALLISON WILLIAMS uty for full time Waterboro patrol (Continued on page 3) PAGE 2 Friday, May 13, 2016 REPORTER ALFRED bles, and selling raffle tickets for The comprehensive plan is man. The 54 foot bridge was rot- Fellow Scout Jacob Gervais Allison Williams garden related items donated by made up of two major sections: ted and narrow and not safe for the along with former 345 Scoutmas- ters Jim McCadden and Roger [email protected] local businesses. The sale will “the inventory” of the town’s trail groomer. Andrew accepted Nagy shared some memories of 324-5823 open at 8:30 a.m. and continue current resources; and the “goals, the challenge to rebuild the bridge until noon. Customers start lining policies and strategies” which from Tom Hatch, the president of Andew’s scouting career. Jacob up before 8 a.m., some with carts recommends actions the town the snowmobile club. recalled how well Andrew could When the diggers and wagons for their purchases. should take in order to reach the With the help of his fellow conceal himself during games of visited Profits from sales will benefit goals. The plan is written by the scouts, his scout leaders and manhunt, and so well he almost The day was breezy but the Master Gardener projects. These Comprehensive Planning Com- friends the project slowly came stepped on him; McCadden shared Master Gardener diggers came include community gardens, the mittee, with input from town resi- to life. The new bridge was made memories of troop campouts prepared with warm clothing, “Teaching Kids to Grow” pro- dents. A draft will be presented at wider and safer with added guard when Andrew learned important shovels, flower pots, and will- gram, gleaning for York County a public hearing June 7 at Conant rails. He started his project in late orienteering skills and recalled he ing hands. Their labors centered food pantries, and educational Chapel, and residents will be August of 2015 and finished it in became an expert firemaker; Nagy around two Alfred gardens where programs. Garden owners benefit asked to give input. late October. spoke of his own son’s scout- the perennials threatened to crawl by the work done by the diggers; The committee will take His Eagle Scout project was ing skills and how he used them over the garden edges. The plants diggers benefit by being provided this input and rework the plan accepted by the Boy Scouts of to help himself and others. The had done what perennials do - with plants for their sales. It bene- throughout the summer to create America on February 24, 2016. scoutmasters recalled how shy multiply. So they were ripe for fits both parties. a final draft which will be pre- The new bridge will be used not Andrew was when he first crossed digging. sented on Sept. 13. This draft will just by snowmobilers but also by over into Boy Scouts,, hiding be- It took over two hours of orga- be voted on (a simple up or down hikers, joggers, and mountain bik- hind his parents at the crossover Comprehensive Plan when he was 11 years old. Mc- nized labor by six diggers and two A current draft of Alfred’s new vote) by ballot on Nov. 11, 2016. ers. pickup trucks, to remove excess Check out the Comprehen- His Eagle Scout Ceremony Cadden told him how proud he comprehensive plan is now avail- was that he had continued into plants (like lily of the valley, dog able online and at the Town Hall, sive Plan page of the town web- was held May 7 and was called to bane, cone flowers, and artemisia) site (www.alfredme.us) to view order by Tom Cormier, Scoutmas- Boy Scouts. and the committee wants input Eagle Scout Caleb Frederick and shrubs ( lilacs, yellow twig from townspeople! The Alfred the current draft, or stop in for a ter of Troop 399 in Lyman. Life dogwood, Martha Washington meeting – the committee meets Scout Jacob Gervais from Alfred gave Andrew the Eagle Charge., Comprehensive Plan is the long- telling him others would look up hawthorn,) and even blueberries.

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