Goodbye campground

Re: The development plans and property for sale at Gyro.
 
The property that's up for sale should be used for more parking in the Gyro Beach area but that's a story for another day. The real issue is the fact that the City is once again ignoring the Lan Franco extension from Lakeshore to Watt.  The area is in desperate need of a proper entrance and exit to improve and plan ahead for the high traffic flow that is coming in the next year and now is the time to build the extension while the City is developing the Gyro parking area.  With the improvements comes a higher traffic flow and along with that adding flow their plan for a proposed service lane with a right hand turn only is not going to fill the need.  Not at all! It’s time for the campground to go and the City to build the Lan Franco extension that's been in the plans for over 20 years.
 
We are not a sleepy little community anymore and that campground is taking up valuable space is not welcome any more. There are 3 new towers going up near the El Dorado/Manteo. 3 new buildings at the corner of Lakeshore and Richter. The huge Hiawatha development. Add to this the City is selling the property beside the parking area for more development and the SOPA Square is only a year away.  This is going to be a huge increase in density and traffic to the area with the usual benefits that the City is ignoring.  Traffic flow and parking.
 
The intersection at Pandosy, Cedar, KLO and Lakeshore is already taxed and the whole area that includes the Gyro Beach parking has been reduced to one lane in and one lane out.  That’s it!  Oh wait… I forgot the right-hand turn service lane that the City is proposing.  Not smart planning.
 
Plus, Watt Road will be narrowed to the minimum with the bike paths taking up another lane and that is a recipe for a huge traffic congestion problem.  Expecting all the Gyro Beach traffic and the locals to be zig zagging down Watt and Walnut and up Cedar to get to Lakeshore is absolutely ridiculous at this point. During the summer that could be up to 1000 cars or more a day zig zagging down those tiny streets.
 
The Lan Franco extension will not make it perfect but it’s one hell of a great start.  The City has tried to be reasonable with the campground owner but to no avail.  They have tried to buy the property and it was rejected.  They offered to trade the current land for sale beside the parking area in exchange for the land to develop the extension.  Again, it was turned down.  The City has tried everything in their power except one tool.  Expropriation. They have tried to be the nice guy, but no longer.
 
The Lan Franco extension is a way more valuable use of that land than an under-utilized, run down campground that has over stayed its welcome. The City is progressing and developing around it and it’s time to go.  For the betterment of the neighbourhood.
 
The time has come!  We need the Lan Franco extension, we need it now and the City needs to get aggressive, step up and get the job done!

Bill Ferguson