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| The Road To Pond Eddy |
Though some might not know it, the Pond Eddy Bridge is a destination, the drive there, walking across the bridge taking you back to far simpler times. The PA. DOT seems to have just three options they are willing to consider right now, and none of the three are acceptable. Their first, and probably preferred option is to just tear the bridge down and replace it...the fact that said bridge is on the Federal Registry of Historic Landmarks makes that option a tricky one.
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| Greek Orthodox Church |
Their second option would be to buy the people on the Pennsylvania side of the bridge out, relocate them...to where? With all due respect, if you walk across the bridge, make a right and walk down till you come to the old tracks, you would realize you cannot put a price on the beauty, solitude and serenity those people have right outside their front or back doors. How would you propose to make someone whole if you took their property through imminent domain? Yes, they are pretty isolated, but guessing they want it that way, enjoy the sound of the river passing by, enjoy the silent beauty of a walk down the tracks, perhaps picking berries along the way.
The third option would be to give the bridge to someone willing to MOVE IT so that they can build another new ugly bridge in its place, and in the process destroy the quiet solitude and beauty that is that special place...and for what? Why would a bridge of four lanes need to be built? Why would a bridge capable of supporting heavy trucks need to be built where a romantic one lane bridge has more than sufficed for decades upon decades?...perhaps to open the land up for development, or worse, fracking? What about what the people on the two sides of the bridge want?
Pond Eddy, the bridge, the surrounding area are a very special place, a place of history, a rare space of pristine beauty, quiet and peaceful...all rare commodities in these times in which we live. Pond Eddy is a place where I could see myself living. As I write, find myself wishing I had the money to buy up the old Motel and Pizza place, restoring them both, perhaps putting in a small walk up window where people could stop in for a soft serve cone and to ask directions. The slow pace would suit me, could see myself snuggling in for the winter, maybe writing a book, or taking my camera and driving up the road a piece in the hopes of catching a Bald Eagle on its own winter sojourn.
To know Pond Eddy, to spend some time there is to love it, to recognize it as the special destination that it is. I would encourage all those who hold the bridges fate in their hands to take a nice slow drive to the bridge. Roll down your windows and drive slowly, leaving rushing to others as you take the time to take everything in, stopping the car at the sound of water, or slowing down further to admire the flock of wild turkeys meandering along the edge of the woods. When you arrive at the bridge, park your car across from it, and walk across the bridge, stopping between the two spans to hear the water, the birds, the wind. Once on the other side, revel in the silence as water splashes down the rock face on the left, towering trees shading you from the heat. Walk up onto the track and look off into the distance in both directions and you can almost hear the train whistle as history whispers in your ear.
Pond Eddy, the bridge are more than the sum of their parts, and the magic that is the place should be saved.
Summer is here, and all of us find ourselves involved in other activities, such as camping out, going on vacation, and taking care of both home and family. Perhaps that is why we only have 538 Petition signatures so far. Problem is though, to keep momentum, to keep the Preservation of Pond Eddy in the news, all of us who love the bridge, all of us who want to see the bridge saved and preserved have to due better than barely ten percent of our goal of 5,000 Petition Signatures.
