Respecting Our Roads And Our Neighbors

RESPECTING OUR ROADS AND OUR NEIGHBORS

Some four or five years ago when I started helping Russ with the roads
I quickly realized that there were more than a few individuals living,
squatting or visiting the park that have total disregard for the
unique and beautiful environment surrounding us.

The roads were generally in poor shape with chronic puddling and drainage problems so
the deliberate damage wasn’t easy to identify. Tractor volunteers
were few and far between with the majority having to balance donating
their time against working and supporting a family. There was no
system or overall plan to the road maintenance with operators mostly
servicing the roadways leading to their properties. Over time (the
last three years) we have lost the majority of these original
volunteers to illness or relocation. At this juncture there was talk
of selling the community property and tractors and just hiring a
contractor a couple of times a year to maintain the system.

Several of the small communities adjacent to Forest Lakes Park have resorted
to that and as many of you know it has not worked well. Their roads
are nearly impassable after a storm and tear up their vehicles daily
just trying to access their homes. We, the present community
activists and volunteers, made the decision to redouble our efforts
and see if there is any civic pride that can be rekindled through hard
work and park improvements. Overall, the response has been
encouraging.

Better access has brought in some new home owners and
second home buyers with newer buildings replacing the dilapidated,
rotting shacks that dot the park. Some of the established residents
are replacing their old domiciles with new, manufactured homes greatly
improving the neighborhoods in general. Improved access also
facilitates emergency vehicles (ambulance, fire and police) to render
aid when necessary.

But (there always seems to be a “but”) our
limited successes has brought some additional problems. The park has,
as long as I have lived here, had a seasonal problem with road abuse
from some vacationers and partiers. While it isn’t appreciated or
encouraged, these thoughtless individuals infest the park for
relatively short periods and after they leave I repair the damage. In
recent months, I have noticed what appears to be a trend. Most
weekends, Sunday in particular, we dress and correct road damage for
the following week of normal use. As I am parking the equipment, I
can hear the dirt bikes, four wheelers and off roaders firing up for a
little evening Dukes of Hazard fun on the newly leveled roads.

There is three hundred thousand acres of forest with dozens of off-road
trails to satisfy these urges but they choose to destroy our roads
instead. I am not talking about the many respectful riders using our
roads, just the ones that dig furrows, throw rooster tails and slide
around corners at excessive speeds when thrill riding. Not only is
this behavior damaging it is extremely dangerous for the foot traffic
and animals. While most of these individuals live in the park, I
suspect that they are not home owners. The problem appears to be
escalating some what, if anything, can be done about this situation.

The most effective way to curtail this abuse is to identify the
abusers. They think they are anonymous, invisible and too fast to
catch but I guarantee that someone in here knows who these individuals
are, knows their families and friends. Because this is private
property, there isn’t much that the Marion County Sheriffs can do
unless other crimes are associated with the vandalism. If you know
any of these people, let them know that you don’t appreciate it and
that they can be identified. Peer pressure can be a powerful
motivator if properly applied.

In addition, many of these individuals
live on the edge of legality and can ill afford any extra attention
into their activities. Anything that we can lawfully implement might
help curb the problem and encourage others to participate in the
maintenance and improvement of our park. As always, positive
constructive ideas and suggestions are always appreciated.

Robert Sanborn