another comment on Acadia

[Pam Johnson <pam-john@ma.ultranet.com>]

> From: "Bobbye Winterberg" <bobbye@iglou.com>
> To: "Pam Johnson" <pam-john@ma.ultranet.com>
> Subject: Re: Acadia-Wildwood Stables
> Date: Tue, 23 May 2000 07:33:23 -0400
> X-Priority: 3
>
> Pam,
> I talk to Ed and he said it was fine to forward my answer to your concerns.  You also may post Ed's most current statement:
>
>
>
>
> A Comment by Ed Winterberg, Manager at Acadia's Wildwood Stables since 1986
> Issued May 21, 2000
>
>
> The abrupt decision to close Acadia's Wildwood Stables and cancel my permit
> on the basis that the Park Service should have formally approved a business
> change ten years ago, is being appealed.    I simply transferred it "from me
> to me" with no change in management or financing. In such cases, the
> regulations don't require formal approval.  Locally, everyone obviously knew
> that I personally managed and financed Wildwood.  However, neither Local
> Park management nor I ever insisted that the Philadelphia office change the
> name on their records.  An embarrassing mutual but harmless mistake.
>
> The park service and the concession are both at Acadia to serve park
> visitors.  I personally regret that our informality has caused so much
> disruption for everyone.   I am still deeply concerned that it may yet be
> the end of the dream which Mr. Rockefeller started eighty years ago, and so
> many of you helped us to rekindle and celebrate over the past decade.
>
> Unfortunately, it is necessary to counter some intentional misinformation
> being circulated on the Internet by those who politically oppose what we
> have been trying to build and institutionalize at Acadia.  Therefore, I want
> everyone to know that Wildwood has always been given the highest possible
> ratings and evaluations for compliance with the terms of the permit, by five
> different Superintendents. Wildwood was always been fully insured and
> Wildwood's visitor safety and visitor satisfaction record has always been
> excellent.
>
> When existing services in National Parks are interrupted, for any reason, it
> is legally possible for the Director in Washington to grant a temporary
> authorization to a "qualified person " to provide those interrupted services
> for a limited time.  Accordingly, I have personally asked Director Stanton
> to issue me a temporary permit to provide services at Wildwood, until
> October 10th.   Thereafter, the Park Service will proceed with its long
> standing plans to solicit offers nationally from anyone interested in
> financing and managing concession services at Wildwood.
>
> Finally a press release issued recently by Acadia in response to horse
> owners' widespread suspicion and outrage said, "the park's carriage roads
> are still open to those who want to trailer their horse in for day use". 
> True, but the simple fact is there are no other public overnight stables
> with access to the carriage roads. Day use is fine, but it serves a very
> small element.    Overnight stabling with carriage road access is essential
> for everyone else, including many who only once in a lifetime, want to bring
> a horse to their National Park and ride or drive the finest system of
> purposefully created horse roads in America.
>
> Ed Winterberg
> <mailto:carriages@wildwood.acadia.net>carriages@wildwood.acadia.net