--- "Gifford Insurance Agency, Inc." <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > From: "Gifford Insurance Agency, Inc." > <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]>, <[log in to unmask]> > Subject: Fw: Proposed ATV Park on Turkey > River/Elkader > Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2000 16:44:37 -0600 > > Dear Charlie & Dick, > > Jane Clark suggested that I e-mail you regarding the > following message. I'm not sure if you have been > here or not, but this ATV site is a beautiful > location and perfect for canoeing or walking on the > Pony Hollow Nature Trail across the river. It is > not at all well-suited for an ATV Park. > > Also, for more details, a guy in Iowa City started a > web petition with a DNR map of the proposed park. > It can be found at www.noatvpark.org. > > Please pass the word if you are so inclined. Any > help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. > Thank you. > > -----Original Message----- > From: Gifford Insurance Agency, Inc. > <[log in to unmask]> > To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> > Date: Wednesday, November 22, 2000 1:42 PM > Subject: Proposed ATV Park on Turkey River/Elkader > > > I live in Elkader in northeast Iowa. If you've > visited the area, you know that we are blessed with > several rivers, wooded bluffs, and a rolling terrain > that is unique to this corner of the state. That is > why I chose to move back here from St. Louis. > > I am writing this to ask for your help to stop the > DNR's proposal to locate an ATV/OHV park along the > Turkey River near the confluence of Robert's Creek > on land adjoining Elkader. I can't imagine a worse > location! > > The proposed ATV park includes 240 acres stretching > approximately 1 1/2 miles along the Turkey River > just south of the Highway 13 bridge. Not only does > this land border the river for 1 1/2 miles, it also > includes sinkholes and algific slopes, steep > hillsides, wooded areas and yellow lady slippers. > Obviously, it is home to wildlife as well. In fact, > in the fall, I have personally counted over 25 bald > eagles on a stretch of river no more than 2 miles > downstream. Friends of mine have counted over 50! > > The Turkey River is a popular canoeing stream. The > length of river between Elkader and Motor Mill (5 > miles) is the most heavily canoed stretch and is > arguably the nicest canoeing water in Iowa. With > this park, approximately 1/3 of the trip will be > lost to ATV noise and disruption. (The ATV > enthusiasts argue that the noise would be no worse > than the traffic on Hwy 13. However, what they > neglect to mention is that the highway crosses the > river at one point, while the ATV park traverses the > river for 1 1/2 miles!). The only house or farm > building on the river in this area is the Helle farm > (proposed sellers). With most of Iowa already > plowed under, we need to cherish and protect the few > "wild" places we have left. > > There are several other reasons to object to this > site, not the least of which are, proximity to two > parks and a county nature trail, and the closeness > to residential neighborhoods in Elkader. > > We have a growing base of local support for our > efforts to derail this project. However, we need > more broad-based support from the environmental > community if we are to effect any change on the > DNR's position. > > I do not live by the proposed park. However, I am > an avid kayaker, hiker and closet environmentalist. > I have also been a member of the Sierra Club off and > on over the past several years and am currently > sending in my renewal for next year. Can you use > your weight to apply pressure to stop this? We have > been writing letters to the DNR (Arnie Sohn, in > particular), but could use e-mails from across the > state. I really can't afford to push this much > further locally, but it would be an outrage to lose > this beautiful valley to something like this. Any > help you could give us would be greatly appreciated. > > Sincerely, > > Thomas Gifford > > Elkader, IA 52043 > E-mail (Home): [log in to unmask] > > > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Shopping - Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. http://shopping.yahoo.com/ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask]