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ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS HERALD |
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I have been following the “battle” over Ft. Hancock at Sandy Hook for a long time and am very distressed at the possibility that private, for-profit, interests could wrest control of our treasure from us. This is our National Park, right here in New Jersey. If this park tumbles into developer’s control, will the other national parks be far behind? I have seen the Request for Proposals for the “rehabilitation”, and it is rife with loopholes for the developer. Requests for changes “cannot be unreasonably denied”. How long will it take before the requests start coming in and we find that the “real” plan is radically different from the package of goods that the NPS is are trying to sell to us? Have we been traveling on a road to the establishment of a “take everything available and turn it over to developers” system of government? The eminent domain tragedies in N.J. and elsewhere in the U.S. combined with the, so very similar, taking of our National Park land so that private developers can have their way with our treasures, both privately and publicly owned, is frightening. Where is the concern for the general public’s welfare? Why should we give up any of our cherished parkland to any developer? Soon, it would seem, we will not even have access to the park’s beaches. After all, how could the developers stop at just Ft. Hancock? I found it entertaining that an individual, who took out a huge advertisement accusing people who have justifiably questioned the proposals for Ft. Hancock, of being like the propaganda head for Hitler being taken seriously, and quoted, in the newspaper article. What justification is there for such vitriol? We are Americans. We have the right to speak our minds. In all the materials that I have read, I have never found that preservation of the salvageable buildings was not desired. I have read that reasonable preservation, done with joint private/public money should be the preferred method. The loss by the public of the use of the land and buildings for 60 years is not acceptable. Look at the photos in the 7-30-06 issue of the local daily newspaper—is that something that you want to see lost to a developer?? Not me!! Perhaps all of those who care should contact/write Judge Cooper to let her know how we would all be harmed by the loss of this natural gem to developers. Are we allowed to do that, or are the peons not to be heard? Are we to shut up and get with the National Park Service program—no matter how we feel? Once the loss happens we will be forever “harmed”. My concept of a National Park is not one of a business park—we already have more empty business parks than we need.
P. A. Stilwell  |
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