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Resorts can be used to spur economy

This letter is in response to Stan Kotala’s recent letter, “Credit Army Corps of Engineers article.”

I, too, have been a hunter for many years and understand the whole concept of preserving habitat for the flora and fauna and future generations.

I think here in Pennsylvania we have adequate forest, lake and open spaces reserved for this.

Although I also hate to see any of that altered, I think for an area like ours that has seen its heavier industries evaporate over the years, that the possibility of a private resort on Lake Raystown would be a welcome addition to our area’s economy.

I look at Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Hidden Valley and Bedford Springs and see a lot of decent jobs being created to help the local population with employment that here becomes harder and harder to find.

Hunters and fishermen, incidentally, contribute to the local economy, but nowhere close to the extent a resort complex would generate.

I’m just not sure I agree that preventing development on one small part of Lake Raystown’s shoreline would wreck the entire lake area’s ecosphere at the cost of over a hundred plus pretty nice jobs — jobs our area earnestly needs.

If we can’t attract heavy industries anymore, why not take advantage of those businesses that utilize the attraction of our natural assets?

I am sure that any development at Lake Raystown would be subject to tight federal, state and local development laws and restrictions.

Development that is controlled and done right with proper sensitivity to the local environment is certainly more economically fruitful long term for our area than boats full of fishermen and groups of hunters who use the woods in season a few times per year.

If we don’t replace our jobs when we have the chance, many of us will be forced to cease being residents of our beautiful area, chasing jobs somewhere else and instead be just occasional visitors.

Gregg Murawsky

Altoona

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