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bradmc
Jul 8, 2003, 12:48 PM
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The bulldozers have fired up their engines at Boat Rock (soutwest Atlanta) and are now stripping the lake area of trees. This area has one of the largest concentrations of problems and is now being defaced. We dont know if we will have long term access after the demolition. So far, the boulders themselves appear to be unharmed but the neat forest around them is completely gone.
Come on out to the big Club1150 party in downtown ATL on July 24th (for info www.seclimbers.org) and help save the remaining 7.8-acre area that we are working to save from becoming driveway gravel. Even if your not from ATL and will never come to Boat Rock, this is an important event as we are all at risk of losing some crag near our homes. Email: mbmcleod@mindspring.com if you have questions.
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gthornberg
Jul 8, 2003, 3:05 PM
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I would like to help. I do Web sites and perhaps I can put together an informational Web site on the issue telling people how to get involved. Could we get someone's help to pay for hosting the site? I would need to do some software development for accepting peoples remarks, a possible BB, etc. I work for a hosting company where as an employee I could get a low monthly hosting price around $15/mo with ASP.net access (which is what I develop). I don't have the money to pay for hosting, but I do have the time to create a Web site for this cause. If you host Web sites and want to help, let me know. Perhaps I can piggyback-develop on an existing domain name at no additional cost to anyone. Ideas?
QUESTIONS
Are there figures on what this wooded area attracts as far as tourism, potential revenue to the area, natural habitat implications, etc.? Anything like this would be helpful.
Also, are there residents in the area we could have petition using a Web site as the medium for expression?
Perhaps we could make a really loud roar and get noticed. I just moved to Florida and was hoping to travel up there...would hate to see a climbing destination destroyed.
Let me know ASAP and I would be happy to help
Greg
..............................
greg@designifx.com
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akornylak
Jul 15, 2003, 3:32 AM
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Hey Brad, its andrew kornylak here
sorry to hear about more troubles at poor old BR. I thought access had been secured. whats goin on?? wish i could help.. Maybe you could have a high-quality photographic print sale/gallery show to raise awareness of how beautiful and unique that area is..
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tradmania
Jul 15, 2003, 5:38 AM
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If only Edward Abbey was still alive.
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akornylak
Jul 15, 2003, 4:08 PM
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hehe... I laugh to imagine what Ed would have thought about bouldering...
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rockitjeff
Jul 17, 2003, 1:04 AM
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so what IS the deal, atl locals? i saw the trees 'dozed... whats going on? burbs? and more great rocks toast?
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ljthawk
Jul 17, 2003, 3:17 AM
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To answer some of the questions.
When I describe Boat rock I usually break it down into three areas. The first being the area with Tea Cup that closed a few years ago because of development. I'm not sure if the boulders are there, but if they are you would be climbing in someone's back yard. It's a shame because there were some great problems. The second area is the area I refer to as the lake area. This area is where people use to traditionally park, down the old road. This area is owned by a developer that the SCC has been talking to for the past year. This is the area that is now being bulldozed and clear cut. The place doesn't look the same, again it's a shame. The third area is a tract of land that contains several more clusters of boulders. When 7.7 acres of this third section came up for sale, the SCC stepped in and signed the dotted line. There's also some more boulders bordering the SCC property, specifically Yellow Arete. The SCC would like to buy this, but needs to raise the cash, as well as raise the cash to pay off the 7.7 acre purchase.
So access has been secured for part of Boat Rock. In fact the 7.7 acres has been turned in to a preserve that is being enjoyed by the local community, not just climbers. The problem is that other sections are still under threat. I will also go out on a limb and say this is a rare precedent where a climbing coalition actually has stepped up and purchased land to preserve access. Cavers have been doing it for years, but I don't know of many, if any, climbing organizations that have. The SCC is fighting hard to work on access in other southeastern crags, but Boat Rock is currently a front line battle. The Boat Rock dinner will hopefully raise enough money to help.
I would also like to say that without Brad's vision and motivating leadership, the SCC wouldn't be where it is today. Please take a chance to visit www.seclimbers.org and check out the issues surrounding Boat Rock, or other areas in the southeast, and what you can do to help.
L.J.
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bradmc
Jul 18, 2003, 1:20 AM
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LJ is right;
good to hear from you Andrew.
the Boat Rock ridge is over a mile long; so there are lots of tracts; many of which are being developed or have already been turned into subdivision. The ATL home market is red hot right now (i thought we were in a recession?) and developers are building like mad. The boulderfield is slowly being consumed by bulldozers and eventually McMansions.
A sad day....but the silver lining is we are working like warriors to secure the 7.8-acre tract and working on the possibility of buying "Yellow Arete".
The developer of the area around the lake has even mentioned possibly donating some of the boulders (sans trees?) to us.
We are looking for a big shot in the arm from the Club 1150 party to propel us to a new level financially to help support the effort. If you cant make it to the party you can donate by sending a check to:
The SCC
1936 Wellona Place NE
Atlanta, GA 30345
thanks for your support.
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ljthawk
Jul 18, 2003, 7:06 PM
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For some pics of the clear cut area, take a look at
http://www.seclimbers.org/access/2003/BoatRockDeforested.shtml
For pictures of what it use to look like, check out the photos at
http://www.seclimbers.org/areas/georgia/boat-rock.shtml
L.J.
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akornylak
Jul 19, 2003, 2:09 AM
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Registered: Jul 9, 2003
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Wow. My previous suggestion seems silly now. I hadnt realized just how bad the situation was there. The photo of the half pipe made me feel sick, really. I've had lots of good memories in those woods.
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