TO THE EDITOR: Our open spaces, including parks, trails, and recreation areas, are a key ingredient to what makes Madison such a wonderful place to live, work, and enjoy extensive time outdoors. Something I’ve come to appreciate with a deeper sense of gratitude particularly over the past 14 months.

As an avid sun seeker – whether on a bike, in hiking boots, or while taking in the lush trees and foliage along the Summerhill Park trails, admiring the flowers in the Rose Garden Park across from the train station, or running around to explore and discover other treasures of green spaces right here in Madison – in so many ways, my refuge during the pandemic has been the outdoors in and around our hometown.

I hope you will join me in voting on June 8th for Deb Coen and Eric Range, who are running for Borough Council, so that we can continue to see strategic and effective management of our open spaces.

Deb and Eric both recognize that our beautiful open spaces not only provide important benefits to residents here in Madison, but they also attract visitors who help support local business, make our town vibrant, and help it thrive.

Developing and maintaining our parks, trails, and other green spaces can only happen with intention and dedication to such efforts. It takes careful input from all members of the community to determine what is a priority. It takes thoughtful financial analysis into not just the cost to create an open space or recreation area –  but also what the long-term costs will be, including maintenance and replacement. It also requires weighing other projects that may be a better investment for the town as a whole.

This all requires leaders who have shown that they can and will do the hard work, make the tough calls, and then get it done. Eric and Deb have shown time and again that they are up to the job. In particular, Deb and I are both alumni of Drew University – more than 25+ years ago – and she has demonstrated to me her particular and sustained commitment and dedication to bolstering and preserving Madison’s vitality over the long term, serving as a tireless volunteer in many and varied capacities. With that backdrop, I trust her to continue in this role.

When it’s time to cast your vote on June 8th, I hope you will join me, and vote for Deb and Eric so that we can continue to see Madison invest in the open spaces that we all enjoy and give us such a great quality of life here.

NICOLE BEARCE