By Jay Lawson
Those wanting to leave their boat trailers someplace, while enjoying the waters of the Fulton Chain of Lakes, can no longer park them at the site of the former highway garage, which is located at the intersection of the Upper Joy Tract and Railroad Avenue in Old Forge.
Parking at the site had been allowed for a few years, as a bit of an experiment, according to Councilman Mike Ross.
The intention was to allow space for the short-term needs of visiting boaters, primarily.
But the experiment went awry, according to the Town of Webb Board, when long-term users began to overwhelm the space and crowding out the intended short-term user.
Extended stay trailers also made it difficult to trim the weeds and keep the space tidy.
Consequently complaints started being received from residents and visitors alike, Ross said. They objected to the site’s having become a relative eyesore.
“People were putting trailers in there, and they were just staying there all summer,” Ross said. “And then sometimes there were boats on them.”
The unobstructed visibility of the site didn’t help either.
Great numbers of motorists drive past daily on their way to camps, the local transfer station, and the popular visitor destinations of McCauley Mountain and Nicks Lake.
“People were able to see it easily, and it got to be a cluttered mess,” Ross said.
The Town Board tries to monitor its land assets to determine “highest best use,” according to Ross. And creating what had become unacceptable visual clutter was not in keeping with that charge.
For that reason, the Town Board agreed to close the site and find a new spot for the boat trailers, according to Ross.
Large rocks are now positioned at the old highway garage site to block entry to it. An informational sign has been posted, that reads: “Trailer Parking: North St. Upper Lot.”
The Town of Webb is now allowing boat trailer parking at its Upper Lot on North Street.
The driveway entrance to the lot is next to the George T. Hiltebrant Pavilion, on its airport side.
Boaters should tow their trailers to the top of that driveway, then turn right, said Ross. They should look for the sign that reads: “Trailer Parking” with an arrow pointing to the lot.
The North Street lot is a much better arrangement for everyone, according to Councilman Ross.
“It’s huge up there. There’s a lot of room, and you can’t see anything up there. It’s well hidden from the road,” he said.
The public boat parking at the highway garage site started as an offshoot of public snowmobile parking that the town allows in wintertime.
Councilman Ross said the Town Board is always looking for better solutions, but the current plan is for the snowmobile parking allowance to continue.
The availability of North Street is not what it needs to be during snow season.
“We do have Snodeo and Snofest in the winter, and those events use that upper parking area,” he said.