Sir: I remember my first time going to Rondeau Park. It was 1952 and I was just a small boy. I was so excited!
My grandfather had a cottage on the bay side since the 1930s.
I remember walking on these old water-soaked boards to the bay, with reeds and cattails on either side. The water was so clear that you could see all the underwater creatures swimming about.
Back at the cottage, my grandfather was busy tending to the rock garden that he had set up, and my aunts were busy making fresh treats for supper.
As I grew older, I spent many summer holidays there; fishing, hiking, swimming and riding horses. It was a beehive of activity, and the shelters were filled to capacity every weekend. There were full campgrounds, people just having an ice cream cone and going for a stroll on the big dock, people playing mini golf, and some riding bikes built for two. I loved it!
It was also great for Kent County.
Now it’s just sad. Most activities are no longer available and you have to pay almost $20 just to take a stroll in the park. This in turn is keeping the people away.
The government seems to want the park to return to only trees and wildlife. Why shouldn’t we be able to enjoy the park the way I remember enjoying it in my childhood? This just seems like a waste, not to let future generations enjoy it the way we have in the past.
How have things gone so wrong? Was it poor voting choices? I would like to know!
John Gordon
Chatham
