When summer lies ahead, when the days are light and inviting, when the outdoors calls and when the setting is simpler, saner, safer — can fun be far behind? Can there be any excuse good enough, strong enough, long enough to not join in the enjoyment of a summer outing? More…

Welcome to the summer of 2021 — to the good times, the traditions and the memories that the season and the region offer and to Summertime in the Belgrades, your weekly connection to this beautiful central Maine area for vacationers, visitors and residents. More…

Business owner, lake dweller, muse, Lionel Tardif of Waterville and Belgrade takes inspiration from familiar lake scenes and from his observations of Nature, especially the changes of the seasons. We present three of his poems. More…

Welcome to the inaugural "Call of the Loon" column. As you may know, our Belgrade Lakes Association is into their third year of their Loon Preservation Project to develop a responsible comprehensive plan in order to support our loon population in a sustainable manner. More…

While most of the world, hit a huge PAUSE button in 2020, the 7 Lakes Alliance was hard at work to repair and protect the Belgrade Lakes watershed. Although we share a deep love for our lakes and surrounding land, we simply can't continue to take them for granted. They are under threat from a myriad of environmental challenges as never before. More…

Non-point source pollution comes from many sources instead of a single point. It's the rain runoff from roofs, parking areas, and roadways. It's the unimpeded runoff from your yard/lawn or a farmer's field. It can come from poorly functioning septic systems. All of this runoff carries silt and chemicals into the water. More…

We are beginning our summer with the Great Pond's Village dam 0.36″ above full pond with both gates completely closed. At basically ⅓″ above full, the water is just barely going over the top of the spillway. More…

Dylan Tomine's Closer to the Ground, a 2012 family story of outdoor living by the water and in the woods, keeps returning vividly in my life years later. Have you ever read a book like that? Maybe a walk in the woods or a conversation with a friend reminds you of something in "that book." More…

Greetings to the Belgrade Lakes community and to our summer visitors. I am heartened by the rapid decline in COVID-19 cases in Maine as more of the population is vaccinated and we are approaching "herd immunity." After an incredibly stressful and crazy year, we appear to be finally approaching a bit of normalcy. More…