Make new state parks safe, accessible for users
I enjoyed the article July 29 on the new parks on the Haw and Mayo rivers. As the photo showed, they are great places to enjoy paddle sports. However, I felt there was a significant omission.
There have been a number of incidents at the Mayo River in the six years I've lived in this area. Windows broken, tires slashed, nails put in the roadway resulting in flat tires, and shooting at boaters.
Many boating groups (Triad River Runners, Smith River Valley Canoe Club, Tarheel Paddlers Association, Dan River Basin) have tried to work with the Rockingham County Sheriff's Department, but its response has been anemic at best.
There are many reasons why this continues -- alcohol, drug use and animosity toward the state for loss of land for the park. Many people fearing for their safety refuse to go despite the area's beauty and proximity to the Triad.
Given the rush to gentrification in the Triad, I applaud the state for preserving these beautiful resources. I ask that they now make them safe and accessible.
Jeff Hatcher
McLeansville
Comments (5)
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Now, let's you just drop them pants.
;)
Posted on August 2, 2007 8:49 AM
I don't know if this is in the State Park or not, but the Mayo River access up at Anglin Mill Road has always been a local hangout and rough place. Beer cans/bottles and trash everywhere. The warnings of nails and vandalism are in every canoe/kayak review of the Mayo I've read over the past 12 years.
The place has had a bad reputation going back to sometime in the the 70's when a woman was murdered up there while camping, IIRC.
Posted on August 2, 2007 9:21 AM
Having participated in a conference at the new park, Haw River State Park (I believe the name is a little different than that), I NEVER felt threatened in any way whatsoever.
The group of Friends (Quakers) who gathered there thoroughly enjoyed the park and facilities offered (even in February)! This was so much so that it was requested that this specific event be held at this place again. It may happen in the next 3-4 years.
So, this LTTE title is misleading as well as the beginning paragraph. This LTTE writer never mentions anything bad about the park at Haw River (on the Guilford/Rockingham County border off of 150.
Just my two cents worth.
Shalom
Posted on August 2, 2007 9:34 AM
I have followed this park that is being created on the Mayo river. It does not have the Anglin Mill access to the river as park land, but as I understand it, the state wants to acquire it. I bet once they own it and can legally manage it, they would make it safer and more accessible.
Posted on August 2, 2007 9:02 PM
The Mayo River has had problems in this area since I can remember, but what I've heard and seen up there the last few years is truly terrible, and it doesn't concern the problems described, although they exist and are bad. It concerns racism and the presence of racists in the area who live nearby.
I've brought what I know about it to the attention of the Rockingham County sheriff, a few of his deputies, a GSO (former) policeman and even to John Robinson, editor of this paper. I've been asked if I was a skinhead for my efforts and been told that no one would believe what I say.
The Sheriff hasn't even alerted the new Park Superintendent about racist graffiti in the area (and he's on her advisory board!) which suggested "murdering niggers" and "white whores who sleep with niggers," or about comments made in the Anglin Mill area about racism that alleged a person who lives up there had "hung and set fire to black people" also identified as a person who shot at boaters.
There seems to be some serious suppression afoot about these things and the public needs to be made aware that this is not a safe area for some. I want the park to prosper but I do not want to see anyone hurt up there.
Posted on August 3, 2007 5:27 PM