Covered Bridge Park in South Whitehall is anchored on either end by two covered bridges, Guth and Wehr. Last night, the two descendants of those namesakes appeared in front of the Commissioners, on behalf of saving Wehr Dam. William Wehr is the grandson of the mill operator, who built the current dam. He and Robert Schantz, Guth's descendent, presented the Commissioners with a petition of nearly 200 names. They requested that the dam be added to the new historic overlay district, a suggestion which I had also made previously. With over 300 names (including my petition) requesting protection, the time is approaching for the Commissioners to decide if this historic dam will continue adding to the magic and beauty of the park.
In other business last evening, the commissioners agreed to authorize a letter requesting a grant for Wildlands Conservancy to build a
greenway in the park. Considering that there were only three commissioners present, no solicitor and no public notice or discussion, I will request that the authorization be postponed, until which time the public understands the consequences of this authorization. A
greenway in Wildlands language means a wall of weeds, blocking both the view and access to the stream.
Please join me this coming Saturday, July 19th between noon and 2:00 pm at Pavilion 2, to help
Save The Dam
photograph by K Mary Hess
You'd think with all the signatures and support of the descendants of the two covered bridge namesakes, this would be a "dam" easy decision for the Commissioners. Yet this is the same board that dragged their feet in trying to help save the King George Inn.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with your comment about the Greenway. People should find out exactly what it will look like. It's ok to have parks that are appealing to people, and not to be turned into nature preserves.