The Public Opinion Soapbox

armed_citizen · Joined: 27 Oct 2007 Posts: 210 Location: Chambersburg, PA

I don't personally have a problem with this for a simple reason: I rarely make use of State Parks.

I prefer to roam State Forests, where I can head off-trail for hours at a time and never see another human. I'm glad the public land is available for use in it's natural state (for the most part), but have little interest in the human fixtures often made to 'draw us in'.
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Dragas · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 123 Location: Waynesboro, PA

armed_citizen · Joined: 27 Oct 2007 Posts: 210 Location: Chambersburg, PA

Bobo · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 173 Location: Chambersburg

OK, I get that some of you don't use the state parks. But doesn't anyone else care that the lifeguards have been nixed at the lakes. And more importantly, doesn't anyone else wonder where our Growing Greener funds are going? They don't appear to be going to the parks. (By the way, the parks have trails too, and they're more accessible to more people than those in the forests.)
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The sun, the moon and the stars would have disappeared long ago... had they happened to be within the reach of predatory human hands. ~Havelock Ellis, The Dance of Life, 1923

Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2251 Location: Chambersburg

While I feel for the lifeguards losing their jobs, I do think our State Parks are an important resource.

But I'm not the biggest fan of swimming in natural bodies of water, so it doesn't really matter to me if there's lifeguards or not. I would like to see the parks preserved and cared for but also realize this costs money and if our local politicians are intent on keeping taxes low and spending in check, then there are greater priorities.

If more people used state parks, then they would probably receive better funding.

Mavis · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 73

I'd say that, in Franklin County at least, Caledonia and Cowans Gap state parks are overused. By that I mean they often seem to have more people packed in than their facilities and rangers can handle.

Meanwhile, smaller parks, such as Old Forge, Big Spring and Mont Alto State Park (which is the oldest one in the state), are being allowed to deteriorate with little or no maintenance or clean-up.

The grass in Mont Alto park was mowed very infrequently this past summer, and a lot of trash was left lying around. The historic pavillion's roof has been deteriorating for some time. It's become a hang-out for student drinking and drugging.

Had previous generations not had the foresight to preserve these lands, which had been originally logged over and nearly destroyed, we would have few public greenspaces today. People today would just as soon pave over everything in favor of development, and put up manufactured "amusement" parks. What is now called "passive" recreation (hiking etc) is just not exciting eoungh. I'm afraid that if it weren't for the interest of hunters in having public land on which to hunt a few times a years, many of our state forests would be gone too.

Bobo · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 173 Location: Chambersburg

I hear ya, Mavis. And you're probably right on most, if not all, counts. I have wondered for years why more wasn't done to maintain the picnic areas at Mont Alto (on both sides of the road) and Old Forge, etc. They used to be nice places to go if you really wanted to escape the crowds.

It is a true crime what's being allowed to happen to the pavilion roof at Mont Alto. I thought that structure was on the National Register of Historic Places. If it's not, it should be.

Anyway, to me, these are the kinds of things that are worthy of some of our Growing Greener money. Gov. Rendell, take heed!!!
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The sun, the moon and the stars would have disappeared long ago... had they happened to be within the reach of predatory human hands. ~Havelock Ellis, The Dance of Life, 1923

Irish1 · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 60 Location: Montgomery Township

I thought I would respond before you had kittens! I may be mistaken? I thought the Growing greener monies were intended as grants to help municpalities get greener. For example Montgomery Twnshp used some growing greener grants to build a nice park, and create a recycling center which included a yard waste composting facility.
I think the writing was on the wall with regards to the lifeguards several years ago they started to let people swim after the guards had clocked out. Although budgeting plays a role in eliminating the guards, liability also plays a role. With out guards there is no blame should a drowning happen w/o the guards it is a swim at your own risk scenerio like many hotel/condo pools.
Maybe DCNR should start charging fees like some of our nieghboring states do or for that matter almost all other states, (have you counted the out of state plates on a hot summer day a couple of my unofficial tallies have been 50:50 instate: out of state.
If the fees were charged then it would require less tax dollars to operate and maybe the overall maint. and operation would improve.

A Talking Horse · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 139 Location: Cove Gap

Bobo · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 173 Location: Chambersburg