Forty years ago, private farmland was taken to create Lake Snowden as a flood-control project, and since then, both state and federal money has gone into maintaining it. But soon, if Hocking College decides to sell or lease the land it owns, the public ' hunters, campers, fishers, boaters and hikers ' might find themselves replaced by a private development company with plans to build $200,000 cottages.
Like the plans to mine in Dysart Woods, the commercialization of Lake Snowden is certainly a legitimate business deal. Hocking College has every legal right to do what it pleases with the land, though an argument could be made that public land shouldn't be taken for private use.
Yet like Dysart Woods, it is sad that business ventures in southeastern Ohio seem to primarily revolve around the exploitation of natural resources. Certainly, if local labor is used, the construction will offer a temporary boost to the economy. But overall, the change will have a negative effect on locals. A quick look at Census figures will show that the average Athens County resident cannot afford to replace a campsite on the 135-site campground with a $200,000 cottage; the people who buy the cottage will have to come from other areas. And while Moondance Development Group certainly has the right to attract out-of-towners, it's small comfort for those who have been camping at Lake Snowden for years.
While no decisions have been made yet, Hocking College would be wise to look at alternatives that are not merely quick fixes to their monetary woes ' and that would allow future generations to enjoy a stay at the lake without being forced to mortgage their homes.
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