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Show Management Alternatives Discussed at Park Meet "Parks are made for people and the park 'experience' is different for every individual" seemed to be the un deriving theme expressed at Monday's first-in-a-series public workshop to assess alternatives for the general management plan of Bryce Canyon National Park. A series of public workshops is being held at strategic locations in southern Utah to review alternatives proposed by the National Park Service soliciting input from interested individuals .throughout the area. Some 100 opinion expressors met for more than three hours at Bryce Canyon's Visitors Center. A variety of interests were represented by the cross section of individuals present ranging from local residents, hikers, environmentalists, area hotel-motel owners, concessionaires, future developers, representatives of local government, to interested park visitors. Park superintendent, Thomas O. Hobbs, opened the workshop with a brief explanation of the history of Bryce Canyon and its past and current management and explained the necessity for adopting a new plan of management. Wayne Gardner, Park Service team captain, of Rocky Mountain Regional Office in Denver, stated the five underlying issues to be addressed and reviewed proposed alternatives relative to each issue. The first issue addressed the future Dr. David C. Mason use of the park "economy" cabins with alternatives ranging from renovation to elimination. The second issue was concerned with resolving congested traffic within the park and its substandard road system. Alternatives dealt with upgrading of roadways to handle traffic volume to elimination of private traffic and a change to mass transportation within the park. Issue three addressed the portion of staU highway 12 which crosses the northeast section of the park, and proposes changes extending from leaving it as is to constructing climbing lanes along parts or all of its length within the park. The fourth issue considers the conflicts between pedestrians and horses on the Peek-a-boo trail with suggestions varying from leaving the trail to its current use to eliminating horse use entirely. The final issue concerns the site deterioration and substandard condition and safety problems currently existing at the north camground. Possible solutions include totally modifying and rehabilitating the campground or eliminating it entirely. Each individual attending the meeting was given a public response workbook and a handbook explaining in detail the proposed alternatives of change. Karen Green, representing the Information Office of the Denver regional office, instructed those present in the use of the workbook. She explained the importance of written comments and suggestions which planners may not have considered. She encouraged participants to submit their views in writing to the Denver office by August 20. Additional meetings were scheduled for Panguitch, Kanab, and Cedar City for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. Diametric points of view were frequently expressed during the open discussion. One motel owner expressed the view that "The heavy taxes we pay are used to compete against us" by the park concessionaries. In rebuttal it was pointed out that improvements to concession facilities may not be recovered. Alluding to widening of highway 12, another comment, "A three lane highway through the park is unthinkable" was countered with "The route was established before the area was designated a national park." One visitor's comment that "An additional alternative should be proposed to eliminate all horse trails entirely" was met with "Horse trails are traditional within the park and have only recently been cut back because of pedestrian complaints. Some participants expressed concern over potential loss of employment through possible closing of park facilities. Superintendent Hobbs emphasized that the possible phasing out of any park facilities would be coordinated with private expansion of additional lodging facilities outside the park. |