Ravine Flyer 2 Gains Political Support

http://goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040308/FRONTPAGE/103080399

Waldmeer is now gaining political support for the coaster along with tons of letters of support from citizens...

Maybe this will be a help in the recent filing for bypassing the states environmental survey to get the permits?

One can only hope.

I just find it strange how just one small business... a party of two... have such a large voice that it's been preventing this coaster from going up for nearly half a decade.

Its not like the local planning board is against this. It's not like the local citizens are against this. It's not like the politicians, competition, religious groups, or even environmentalists are against this coaster... just one lousy couple who own a little campground who are so outspoken as to have prevented this coater from going up for sooo long.

I find it sad how large one voice can be...
...but just goes to show you how corrupt this country can be sometimes with a sliver of a minority group, just like the way the FCC is cracking down on radio & television... just a sliver of a minority is outspoken enough to cause a large ripple.

It's very ironic that a business whose success depends on local tourism would be opposed to the expansion of a neighboring amusement park.

bigkirby... I have been saying that for years... I don't get it. If more people were brought into the area, more people would use their campgrounds to stay at. It just irritates me.

I am not so sure it is a standard "campground." Anyone who knows, please correct me. But I think everyone rents the space for the summer to keep their campers as a summer home, its not a take your tent there kind of campground.

Again, I could be completely off.

but just goes to show you how corrupt this country can be sometimes with a sliver of a minority group, just like the way the FCC is cracking down on radio & television

Other corrupt minority groups in this country's history have brought us........

1. Civil rights for women and minorities

2. Current gay marriage issue/controversy

3. Land ownership for all

4. Affirmative action controversy

These are just off the top of my head. I'm sure there are people who come down on both sides of many of these minority driven issues. It usually depends on your point of view when deciding the merits or stupidity of a minority view. I just thought I'd point this out. Not that I disagree that the minority voice has way too much power in this country. This happens on all sides of the political spectrum.

eightdotthree, you are right, I'm not saying that people go "camping" there... I am saying it will drive more people to the area and get more people to stay there...

Wouldn't having a park add something new increase attendance which those people might look for some place to stay and perhaps they may chose to stay there....Sounds like a win win situation to me but some times people just like to be extremely stubborn......

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DawgByte II said:
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Its not like the local planning board is against this. It's not like the local citizens are against this.

Actually, there is one local citizen that has caused the entire project to be put on hold- the owner of the campground who is also a nearby condo resident. He has been the one that has been the thorn in the side of Waldameer. He says that the coaster will cause excessive noise at his condo and at the campground. His condo is close to where the coaster will come down the embankment.

But like you said, the vast majority of people in Erie (like myself) want the Ravine FlyerII to become a reality.

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Well, by local citizens... I meant everyone except that person, who is the owner of the campground, who I was basically excluding when mentioning who was actually for it... because except for that couple, I cannot find anyone who really opposes this project.

The environmental studies are done by people just doing their job, and are not in favor either way... but have so far proven positive, and it's just going to show that this couple is just stalling efforts of a project that will ultimately succeed.

When? That's a good question, and it'd be nice if he could have it for 2005 or 2006 at latest.

On a side note on waldameer construction, anyone know what the supports accross the st at the drive in are? Well, they were supports last year when I was there. Dont know what became of them.

Those were support columns for the new Bayfront Convention Center that is going in across the road... I thought they were coaster supports at first too.

Bayfront convention center? I never knew about a convention center (My hometown is Erie.) Is it still being built?

I think it is supposed to be completed this summer... Its been under construction since last spring...

Woops, not the convention center... Visitor's Center rather...

Yes the visitor's center (with Tom Ridge's name tied in somehow- he approved the $$ for it) is currently being built where the Peninsula Drive Inn was located.