Envision a new, better and free Oyster River

22 years ago my house, fondly known as "The Barn" burned to the ground. It had been in that spot for somewhere around 250 years. At the time I was devasted as were most of my friends. We couldn't imagine life without "The Barn."

But history doesn't stop and life goes on. Over the course of the next year, we removed a lot of ashes, burnt stuff and other nasty debris. And from all of that a new house arose, one that is insulated, far more energy efficient and alot more sustainable, efficient and usable than the old one.

No, it doesn't have all the same character of the old one, but it has character of its own, and it has become (at least pre-COVID) an integral part of not just my world, but the world of many of my friends. Bringing joy, recreation, fun, laughs and happiness to many people.

I offer this lesson to my friends in Durham who want to preserve the Mill Pond Dam. I urge you not to cling to nostalgia over sustainability, but rather to envision a new and better place, with different types of recreation, that will be far better for the environment (and our pocketbooks.) A future free river that will develop a history of its own, and that will bring as much, if different types of joy for generations to come.