Friday, April 7, 2006
Here's a few facts that are indisputable and backed by solid, incontrovertible
evidence. Fact #1, Christo initially came to the valley predicting
1 million people would view his display. The Reichstag in Germany had 5 million
visitors, France 3 million, so his displays are gaining in attendance. Christo
now relates only 250 thousand people will view this display. Why ?? Could
it be that at maximum capacity, the 250 thousand figure is just slightly in
excess of the road's capacity, 3 times that many visitors would result in
an immediate denial. Christo's people have been around the block, and done
these things before. Their tune changes daily, or as the situation warrants.
Smart people plan for a worst case scenario; those that don't are generally
at a loss when the worst happens, and they don't have a plan.
Fact #2, three years of disruption to our lives, three years
of traffic in the canyon. You should have been there when the Cotter uranium
truck closed the canyon for 6 hours. Talk about irate people. Now, imagine
3 years of this. At first glance, it appears to be a wonderful display, however
it is being proposed in one of the worst places possible. Eagles are indeed
a concern, being both endangered and federally protected. But, what the heck,
kill off a few in the name of profit, that's Ok with you, correct ?? The possibility
of wildfire, the homes of the residents in the canyon, we've all got insurance,
right ? So that's ok that we have the very real potential to lose our homes
to fire, all in the name of profit. People might die as they can't get to
the hospital. Our Sheriff related to me that there will most likely be at
least one traffic fatality, but we can justify that, all in the name of "art"
and, more importantly, profit.
Fact #3, Just because Christo says it doesn't make it so.
His tunes change daily, and to suit his needs. For those that have their heads
in the sand, and dollar signs in their eyes, this looks like a wonderful thing.
For those that actually know what's going on, we're quite apprehensive about
the entire thing. I will not go on vacation for 3 years, and do not feel that
I should be subject to what have been described as "minor inconveniences"
by advocates of the tarping, . . They are not minor to me and the 4500 people
that inhabit the canyon.
Someone wrote a while back that they would take a raft trip under the tarps.
Sure, if you can actually get to the river in the string of traffic, which
Christo admits will average 5 MPH. Now those are the facts, and I still don't
feel selfish in opposing this project. I'm a taxpayer and there will be real
costs to me if this project is approved. I don't see Christo writing me a
check, or the other residents of Bighorn Sheep Canyon.
Marshall Nichols
Howard Resident
HVFD Firefighter