In the motion picture “Four Friends” the students of an East Chicago high school broke out into a riveting dance chant to the song “Hit the Road Jack,” which may become the theme song for the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Superintendent Costa Dillon. The recent Porter County Commissioner’s meeting on Tuesday, April 3rd, on short notice drew a standing room only assembly and an overflowing number of citizens into the lobby and also an auxiliary space. The topic on hand was the closure of several roads in Westchester Township that services vacant property that is now within the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. A score of long time residents, among them park advocates, and a Who’s Who of Dune folk spoke out against closing Furnessville, Tremont, Hadenfeld, Veden Roads and also Main Street. Our Napoleonic park Superintendent said at the end of all the protests that he is willing to talk, but also said: it doesn’t matter how the commissioners vote.
Well so much for government by the people with that kind of attitude. Alas Dillon forgets and in spite of his hop-scotching around the nation serving in various capacities for the Park Service, and stepping on the toes of everyone but his own ego along his wandering journey, that the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is the most urban park in the nation. This is not some remote enclave sans human habitation. Its not like you can fence in this piece of real estate. [Well you could have if the original vision of the park had become a reality back in 1917, but we lost that battle long ago]. Meanwhile many of us live on the threshold of this national treasure hence why we fought so hard to create it. Also many of us remember the horrific destruction of the most beautiful dune-scape that was sacrifice to make pollution, I mean steel. Hence our continued passions to protect that thin strip of land that Dillon must believe is only his Johnny Come Lately domain.
Interestingly no one at the County Government seems to remember a land swap made 15 years ago, before Dillon came to town, that gave up Furnessville Road for the construction of the Dune Park South Shore Station. Was there public input for that swap? If there was public input, the here and now, is what matters, and the deal, spells major safety issues and oversights. The citizens who paraded on a moments notice to save important arteries in duneland for the people, seemed to be ignored. If Dillon continues this stance, perhaps its time for us too to begin our chant “Hit the Road Jack” and encourage him to wander right out of Indiana on to yet another park.
MusetteLewry 