State fees: Give us back our parks


July 3, 2008 · Updated 9:56 PM 

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I was thrilled after reading the editorial in the Jan. 7 edition of the Whidbey News-Times. The editor has perfectly echoed my opinion of the park fees.

I have lived in Oak Harbor for 19 of my 21 years, and as a result, a great many of my childhood memories were created on the beaches and in the parks of Whidbey Island. Countless summer days were spent examining tide pools at Rosario, hiking through Deception Pass, swimming in Cranberry Lake and exploring Fort Casey.

In a time when my family could not afford trips and vacations, the beauty of our own island provided wonderful diversion. It saddens me to know that I must pay $5 to revisit my own memories.

Will my children be able to enjoy the same rustic beauty that I did as a child? Will sand and rocks and driftwood be replaced with bricks and concrete, sand castles replaced with vendor carts? How much more will we prostitute the environment that God created for our enjoyment? Legislators, please re-think your priorities, and give us our home back.

Heather Johnson

Oak Harbor

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