Is there a master plan for Bella Vista?

When my parents moved here in the late 1970s, Bella Vista for them was a dream come true.

They were able to have a country club lifestyle they had only dreamed about. They had a community of like-minded people, many with the same background and stories — a community of around 5,000 people who all paid an assessment enabling all to enjoy the amenities at no extra cost.

I watched Loch Lomond being built and remember the pride all of the residents showed in their own private community — Bella Vista Village. They took being a private community seriously. Rangers checked cards of those even driving by the lakes, and don’t even think about using a pool or tennis court if you weren’t a resident.

Fast forward 40 years and into the 21st century. Amenities deteriorated, assessments increased, the 5,000 population has grown to 29,000. Members are divided into “yes” and “no” categories. For me, there should not be a category to choose from. Bella Vista is built on the foundation of being a private community.

This brings me to what is called the 2015 Master Plan for Bella Vista. This plan calls for developing Bella Vista into a tourist destination. Making all of our lakes, recreation centers, tennis courts, everything open to the public — if they come here as a tourist to use our “World Class Biking Trails.”

This plan calls for developing a championship golf course and, in doing so, recommends closing Berksdale, Kingswood and Brittany. The plan would develop these areas into a paved Greenway walking and biking path tying Fayetteville

to Bella Vista and all the way to Missouri. The plan calls for public use of Little Sugar Creek and our lakes for canoeing and kayaking.

Now there is an election in process to elect three POA board members. I encourage any and all of you that have not already voted to reach out to all of the candidates either by phone, email or social media and ask them if they are supporting the 2015 Master Plan.

Think about the way the back nine of Berksdale has been closed for so long even though it rarely had significant damage. The excuses were many — the cost to repair a bridge, paying the same engineering firm twice for the same evaluation, received the same ridiculously high estimate to fix a bridge and told the members that permitting fees were high, the time to obtain them was excessive, Little Sugar Creek was a navigable waterway — and the membership let them get away with the misdirection. In reality, the powers that be did not want Berksdale to stay open; it is easier to turn it into a Greenway if it is already closed.

Back to the election, please research the candidates. For me the choice is easy. No incumbents, no one that wants to support the 2015 Plan. I support Sandy Fosdick, Joy Sawyer and John Goodman. Michael McCracken Bella Vista