Document text
http://www.omniture.com --> Ashland, Oregon HOME Valley & State Sports Nation & World Opinion/Editorial Classifieds Business Columnists Obituaries Weather Archive Hot Topics Forum Photo Gallery Revels Etcetera Backpage O-Zone Real Estate Guide Menu Guide Shakespeare Subscribe Contact Us Rate Card Place an Ad Online Games August 19, 2006 Letter At Length Letter Submissions Letters should be e-mailed in text-only format to [email protected] . Please include your address and a daytime phone number where you can be reached for confirmation. Letters are limited to 250 words. At Length submissions are limited to 400 words. Submissions may be edited for length, content and clarity. The Tidings gives priority to letters on local and regional topics of current interest. It seeks to encourage thoughtful, well-reasoned leters and to discourage personal attacks, repetitive messages and personal disputes. Form letters are not published in the Tidings, nor are letters identified as having been published in other publications. Support for Mt. A expansion Mt. Ashland Ski Area expansion committee hosted monthly public meetings last summer and fall. I attended six or seven of these community planning & aesthetics meetings last year. The meetings were held alternating between Ashland and Medford. There were many attendees at each meeting with varied interests and concerns regarding the future functions of the area. Some were simply visitors to the area that go to the mountain for the experience of the lodge and the snow. Some were parents waiting for their kids. Some were avid skiers and snowboarders. The Mt. Ashland committee evaluated and implemented many of their practical, essential and useful suggestions into the "ultimate plan." Mt. Ashland is a terrific ski area for advanced and expert level skiers. The Mt. Ashland expansion essentially is concerned about adding beginner and intermediate runs. By industry standards, the ratio of beginner level runs to expert level runs is totally out of proportion. The expansion is not about "more for the expert" — it is about offering an opportunity for beginners to explore the fun and thrill of winter sports. The expansion is about providing better base lodge service and a better balanced skiing experience for all. We who have been skiing a long time still enjoy a leisurely cruise on intermediate runs. The public should understand that skiing and winter sports are performed on many feet of snow. The plant and animal life characteristic of the spring and summer appear after the snow has melted. The snow then returns, as do the snow sport enthusiasts. For the 44 years of Mt. Ashland's existence as a ski area, this has been the case — with wise use and no ill effects. Let's continue to support Mt. Ashland and share our use of this well managed community resource. Ray Redpath Ashland Current Comments: Everyone supports improving recreation opportunities for beginning skiers and non-skiing users of the park. Nobody challenges the clearing of new runs off the old Poma slope, doubling beginner terrain. Nor are lodge improvements or constrution of a lift-served tubing area subject to debate. To carve up the riparian-stuffed, old-growth forested, roadless Middle Fork, however... One must be willfully ignorant to say neither that nor the existing development cause "ill effects." Look at the record. jay - ashland - August 19th, 4:46 PM As someone who has taught 5 children to ski I can say that anyone who thinks that venturi wind tunnel area off the old Poma lift or anywhere near the existing lodge/sonnet is even remotely a good idea for expansion obviously has never spent much time skiing at Mt. Ashland! Let's even agree that there will be "some" increased runnoff, just for the sake of putting that argument to rest. ForestScientists say it isn't significant, or we believe our local "trustafarians" re: ruining our watershed? Ray - Ashland, OR - August 19th, 6:22 PM I congratulate your success in teaching children to ski. It's a wonderful sport. I learned to ski using the rope tow, Poma and t-bar lifts before graduating to the windsor and ariel chairs. I was 8 years old. Sure, it got windy sometimes. The area of expansion off Poma, though, is relatively wind protected on a true northerly slope. It'll double beginner terrain and be much easier to access than the C6 lift over that long, narrow, scary "skiway" road to be constructed nearly to the creek. jay - ashland - August 21st, 12:54 PM I do have an idea that I think both side might agree on?! What would really be beneficial is small 4 or 6 person gondola/open lifts leaving the south end of Lithia Park and up to the Mt. A lodge through the watershed above the trees. That would help the need to have everyone driving up the interstate and the access road. Many ski mountians I have visited have trams that go all the way into town and aleviate so many people from driving, CO2 concerns, etc...and it is most benefical to locals. Ray - Ashland, OR - August 22nd, 10:03 AM I can never get over the joy I find any time I visit the mountain during ski season. From the screams of delight by the 4 and 5 year olds getting on the snow for the first time to the dozens of Senior skiers, some well into their 80's, whooshing past me and all the moms and dads in between who have found such pleasure and relaxation in this well managed and preserved area that has served generations of families. It's time for selfish special interests to move onto the many other bigger issues. Bill Bartlett - Ashland, OR - August 22nd, 10:27 AM Once again, Bill calls those who oppose the expansion as selfish (elsewhere, he calls us selfish misguided whackos). It's selfish to ignore the planet you leave your children, so you can enjoy more ski runs. It's selfish to only consider the economics of expansion, rather than the health of ecosystems (incidentally, the way the planet is warming, the viability of the whole ski area is questionable). It's selfish to risk the watershed of the entire town for the enjoyment of a minority of skiiers. Jay A - Ashland - August 22nd, 1:41 PM Would a simple vote- for, or against expansion, appease both sides? Would each agree to walk away graciously if there view isn't accepted by a majority of voters? Then we could all move on? Ray - Ashland - August 22nd, 4:45 PM It would be amazing to me if all the people that are against the ski area expansion into the "watershed" (the whole earth is someone's watershed)were equally concerned about the warm water (treated)effluent that Ashlanders dump into Bear Creek and send to our neighbors downstream. The city spent ?$ to engineer an above ground treatment site away from streams that was environmentally sound but we would have to "see" it!? How can one compare this environ problem to that of a 71 acre expansion? Logan - Ashland - August 22nd, 5:03 PM Bill, The screams of delights from the youngsters and the pleasure the seniors experienced at the mountain happen without expansion. Just because an "industry standard" is not met at Mt. Ashland does not matter. Tell the bumble bee it is too big to fly. And Ray, the reason a vote won't work is that the destruction of the environment is not settled by a vote. When ignorance prevails, destruction occurs. Some call it progress, others necessary. Voting? Not applicable - but for a boycott. public enemy #1 - ashland - August 22nd, 11:12 PM So, Jay, you & the other 1/2 dozen are so totally P.C. enlightened, and the rest of the public- we are so ignorant we shouldn't be allowed to vote...it must be great to be so wise at such a young age? I wish I knew I was absolutley correct-Then I wouldn't have to ever listen to those educated in that field, I wouldn't have to "truly think, question myself, or have any humility". With people of your character, no wonder it took so long for women to gain the right to vote. MIchelle - Ashland, OR - August 23rd, 9:21 AM MIchelle, I'm dumbfounded at your comment above. No one said you were too ignorant to vote (I didn't say anything about voting), and attacks on my character are out of line. Maybe you're talking about someone else's comments. I take affront when anyone says opposing the expansion is selfish. I'm a passionate skiier, and I should support the expansion. But I don't. Ultimately, this issue is about competing sets of values. I call for both sides to stick to the issues, not call names. Jay A - Ashland - August 23rd, 9:54 AM I think we should just give all our rights up to the corpos at Mt. Ashland. How a public resource gets turned over to a private business is beyond me. Now they tell us we get to pay for a project and not have access to any real cost estimates. so they can keep wages low? Obviously we are being coerced in to making Mt. Ashland some kind of publicly funded private business. All the boisterous remarks left by those who are convinced by the sales propaganda of MAA ring of arrogance and ignorance. Farquaar - Ashland - August 23rd, 1:12 PM As someone who has gone door to door on this issue, I can guarantee that most of those with blinders on, unable to see beyond their own wants, or worse, with $ signs in their eyes, are those supporting this expansion. Dr. Aaron Corbet - Ashland, Oregon - August 23rd, 2:28 PM Don't think the GM meant "private business" literally...doesn't make any sense. He must have meant that they have to be competitive to stay in business. MAA is listed as a 501(c)3, which means MAA gets audited all the time by the IRS/third party. They have to show where every bit of money goes. The Board people volunteer. We(customers) are cranky because they're now charging the real cost of a season pass, so they can actually budget to update aging chairlift motors and replace broken groomers. Christina - Ashland, OR - August 23rd, 3:02 PM I don't think "private business" is a term which can be misinterpreted. It means exactly what it sounds like. It doesn't mean non-profit and it sure isn't a charity. When the corporate GM says something like "city council is damaging our private business" he actually means "private business." The GM is unable to hide from the truth, you however seem to be having better luck. Farquaar - Ashland - August 24th, 9:32 AM If the final decision is made for expansion, will the folks against it accept the results of the long drawn out process? Or like the presidential election will they whine and moan for years to come demanding a recount.?Will enviormentalists burn down the ski lodges in the name of protecting the enviornment? I just hope the final decision will be just that, final. There are more important problems with our little town, that no one talks about. The families are leaving and the schools are closing. Kevin - Ashland,OR - August 24th, 10:49 AM I wish Jay A. wouldn't use so many 'i's in the word skier. Donna D. - Ashland OR - August 24th, 3:54 PM Sorry for too many i's, Donna. I guess I just like parallel lines :) Jay A - Ashland - August 24th, 4:16 PM The expansion's strongest supporters won't even be able to afford a lift ticket by the time the MAA takes "inflationary costs" into account. How easily some of us are manipulated by good old boy rhetoric and a promise too good to be true. Ignorant but mostly good natured provincial types, we happily comply with the corporate privatization of what used to be ours. Pawns in a game we never bothered to learn. The salt of the earth. Farquaar - Ashland - August 26th, 12:06 AM Leave a Comment: Advertisement: Advertisement: Paid Advertising Inkjet Printers Student Loans Water Filter Helzberg Diamonds Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Copyright © 2006 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers. All Rights Reserved.