September 10, 2001

Again I find myself responding to a News-Item editorial written by a strong proponent of a prison in Brush Valley who will say and write anything to convince the public that destroying the valley is the right thing to do. This latest exploit by our editor suggests a hypothetical situation in which Brush Valley is preserved and asks how it will benefit our community? . . very simple . . it will benefit our community greatly!

It IS a fair question. . how will a park benefit our community? Many ways . . preserving Brush Valley will improve the quality of life, attract industry and residents, promote tourism, increase direct and indirect dollars circulated in the area, and increase property values. If you think a prison can do all that, remember, tourism is the number two revenue producer in the state, second only to agriculture.

It is important to note that the long-term needs of the area do not solely rely on industry. We need to improve the quality of life for residents so that they want to stay and we need to attract quality jobs where residents can work. According to the Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national organization dedicated to preserving open space, "businesses are free to shop for an appealing location, and they clearly prefer communities with a high quality of life, including an abundance of open space, nearby recreation, and pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods."

So what will make industry come to our area? Do you think promoting our community with a valley of prisons will make viable companies seek us out? TPL conducted a study entitled Economic Benefits of Parks & Open Space, in which communities were examined to determine if and how open space contributed to their economic growth. Read the following excerpt describing Chattanooga, TN:

"Faced with rising unemployment and crime, polluted air, and a deteriorating quality of life, middle-class residents began to leave the city, taking with them the tax base that had supported police, sanitation, road repair, and other municipal services. Departing residents explained that they were moving to the cleaner, greener, and safer suburbs. (SOUND FAMILIAR?) To lure them back, local government, businesses, and community groups decided to improve Chattanooga's quality of life by cleaning the air, acquiring open space, and constructing parks and trails. . . Largely as a result of these efforts, Chattanooga today is alive with economic activity. Where once there were rusting factories, there are now green open spaces surrounded by a bustling commercial and residential district"

Sound like a dream? Actually, according to the National Park Service, CEOs of large corporations believe quality of life is the third most important factor when choosing to relocate to a specific area. Small business owners rank recreation/parks/open space as the highest priority for relocating (John L. Crompton, Lisa L. Love, and Thomas A. More, "An Empirical Study of the Role of Recreation, Parks and Open Space in Companies' (Re) Location Decisions," Journal of Park and Recreation Administration (1997), 37-58). Do you think prisons will improve the quality of life in our area? Will other industries be interested in relocating to an area that already has three prisons within three miles? Parks make communities more livable. . you have to first make this a desirable place to live, then work on bringing the industry.

Take Coudersport, PA for example, a small community in the middle of Potter County. Surrounded by nothing more than State Forests and State Gamelands, the borough recently secured a huge telecommunications corporation that has created numerous jobs and helped the community obtain state grants for infrastructure improvements. The community does not even have the roadways and interstate connectors that Coal Township can boast, yet they’re economy is growing.

As for the ludicrous remark that preserving Brush Valley would only detract from its pristine nature, very little if any alternations would be necessary to enjoy the area as a park. It is amazing to me that the editor would be concerned with the pristine nature of Brush Valley, when he supports smothering this beautiful land with concrete and asphalt.

Lastly, putting the economic arguments aside, remember that this is mainly an environmental issue. Nature is something that we all take for granted . . but shouldn’t. Brush Valley should be preserved simply because it is a natural and beautiful area that can be enjoyed and relished by an entire community, rather than be paved over for the selfish gain of only a few.

Nicole Dormer

Vice President, BVPA