Some people are complaining about fees for the park.

I might understand it if we were talking about really big money, but the truth is we are talking only about $30 for a YEAR! That’s only $2.50 a month. Most of us spend much more WEEKLY for a cup of coffee.

It is kind of strange to me because many National Parks, like Mount Rainier for example, charge $15 for only seven days. Yellowstone charges even more and that’s okay. Nobody complains, and everybody understands that somebody is taking care of this place for the money, cleaning it and protecting it.

I came from another country where we also must pay for entrance to some places, like for example, the very famous waterfall Szklarka. And this is also okay. That’s why it is really hard for me to understand this rumor about this funny money our park asks for.

I wonder if anybody considers what will happen, if because of lack of money, our parks close one day. The benches and picnic tables will be gone, there will be no water fountains, nobody will be able to make a fire in any of those places, the restrooms will be closed for good because sewer also costs money, so if something happens, we will probably jump into a bush and very fast will change this clean place into one big restroom. No one will clean there or cut the grass and no one will take care of this beautiful park like it is now.

So I’m thinking, is it really what we want?

It is really such a big deal to support a little of our nature in this difficult time or create all kinds of problems? If we really love this place so much and want to keep it like it is, maybe this is the proper time when each of us at least in this way can help it? Each of us for ALL of us.

Barbara Welch

Eastsound