I would like to add my voice to those who feel that Lake Nighthorse should be a quiet lake. This process has been infuriating for the local recreational community.
I am one of only a few scullers in the area, but we are part of a much larger paddling community. Scullers usually travel to Lemon Lake to row our long gliding boats. Kristine Johnson’s op-ed (Herald, May 1) and others have inspired me to again get involved despite my frustration.
I attended almost all of the meetings held in 2010-11 and voiced my opinion. Unfortunately, that was a doomed process due to the decision to take the boat ramp funding without consulting the public. To my knowledge, we do not have a sizable quiet lake in the area, thus paddlers are left to deal with the wakes of power-boaters. I even suggested that we have quiet morning and evening hours on Nighthorse, but that was dismissed as an unwieldy solution.
One would like to think that local government would work more efficiently, smoothly and quickly than our state and federal governments, but alas, we suffer the same bureaucracy with what appears to be even more ineptitude on our local level. We seem to have a track record of not getting recreational projects done here in Durango. (unopened fields at Fort Lewis College, Durango High field and track, replacing long-lost FLC tennis courts, Oxbow Park, to name a few.) The surrounding communities of Bayfield, Cortez and Farmington seem to be able to build and maintain better recreational facilities well ahead of Durango despite lesser community financial means.
I have been told that a Lake Nighthorse manager, a former Durango Parks and Recreation manager who used to get things done, was all but hired until the city got involved. I strongly urge that this project be resolved, that a quiet lake solution be reconsidered and that the decision be put to a community vote. Perhaps then, and only then, will you get quiet from us off the lake as well as on.
James Cross
Durango
