For the first time in more than 40 years, Cape Elizabeth could begin charging a fee to visitors at Fort Williams.

In recent interviews, a majority of councilors have expressed a willingness to adopt such a fee. Before councilors vote, residents will get a chance to speak out at a public hearing at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 14, at Town Hall.

The fee the town is considering would charge people who park at Fort Williams $5 for a parking decal, which would be dispensed by solar-powered meters. Regular visitors could purchase season passes for $25. Tour buses would pay $20 per day or $100 for the entire season.

The fee is a bad idea because it sets a bad precedent. Community parks have traditionally been supported through local property taxes. And, with the exception of the fee charged to get in to Portland Head Light museum, that’s the way it’s been in Cape Elizabeth since the town purchased the park for $200,000 in 1964.

So, why start charging a fee now?

Cape Elizabeth Town Councilor Anne Swift-Kayatta, who is a proponent of the parking fee, has pointed out that it now costs between $120,000 and $150,000 to run the park every year. That’s certainly not an insignificant amount.

However, parks are expensive to maintain. When compared with a combined town and school budget of more than $28 million, the annual cost of the park seems less significant.

Ellen Nadeau, the chairwoman of the Fort Williams Advisory Commission, is also a proponent of the fee. She said the Goddard Mansion, one of the most notable landmarks at Fort Williams, needs $450,000 to be stabilized as a ruin.

A historic structure like the mansion, however, would seem to be a prime candidate for grants or private donations from organizations or individuals interested in preserving history. A park fee can’t be the only way to pay for its preservation. The town has in the past received generous donations for the park. The town built the cliff walk along the edge of the ocean with the help of a donation from Augustus Barber of Barber Foods.

One of the most popular tourist destinations in the Portland area, Fort Williams is no doubt a great park. It’s home to Portland Head Light, one of the most photographed lighthouses in the country, as well as the remains of the historic fort and beautiful ocean vistas. Cape Elizabeth has been generously allowing visitors from other communities and other states to enjoy the park for years.

Cape isn’t the only community doing that, however. Portland and South Portland also have popular coastal parks that are open to the public free of charge. For years, communities all over the state and all over the country have done that as a service to surrounding communities, and Cape Elizabeth should continue to do so now.

Regardless of whether you agree with us, attend the public hearing on Aug. 14 to let the town know how you feel.

Brendan Moran, editor