Six projects that proponents say would have improved residents' quality of life were shot down by voters at Topsham's town meeting.

More than 300 voters spent about four hours Wednesday night debating a wide range of issues that face the rapidly-growing community. One of the most interesting was a local match of $52,000 for trail and street improvements.

Topsham voters rejected the so-called "quality of life" funding package, a decision that disappointed Liz Armstrong, who helped craft the proposal. She said most of the projects had been in development for some time and already qualified for state or federal funds.

Armstrong said the funds would have helped pay for new trails along the Androscoggin and Cathance rivers, an extension of the Brunswick bike path into Topsham and improved pedestrian safety along Main Street.

"We knew the budget would be tight this year, but we said, we have this opportunity," Armstrong said.

Members of the town's Conservation Commission, the Community Services Department and Topsham Development Inc., developed the proposal.