Comments on: New Walgreens To Be Built South of Deep Creek Lake

By: Mark

Mark — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:51:56 +0000

For those of you wishing for progress I say be careful what you wish for you may get it. I say take a look at some of your neighboring areas, I grew up in Maryland in a sleepy little place called Howard County and yes there were farms and little markets no traffic and wonderful small town rural feel. I have since moved away but because of my family contacts I have been able to come and stay in your wonderful area for weeks at a time. Your smal town atmospher in the off season, the parades down main street and your heritage keep me coming back time does stand still in your neck of the woods. However, it also causes my stress to fade my blood pressure to fall and my faith in small town America to florish. Oakland do not change you can grow but do so in a way that will hold tight to small town America were your neighbor is more then the fellow that lives next store, he is the one you count on to be there. Fight to keep what you have do’nt listen to those who preach growth, trust without highspeed internet or HDTV you may just be better off.

Yours truley,
VIsitotr and honored guest.

By: Mike Kennedy

Mike Kennedy — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:07:35 +0000

Susan - your comments are appreciated and welcomed.

I’ve always joked that Garrett County is about 5 years behind every place else - we’ve only had high speed internet service for a few years now and high def channels on the cable system are now just starting to appear! Even Wal-Mart wasn’t here until earlier this decade.

While Oakland MD and the other non- resort parts of county don’t have many high paying jobs - there are still many bright spots for those who live here full time or wish to live here full time. Crime is virtually non-existent, the school system is very good, and the quality of life in my opinion is great - no traffic jams, the air is clean, the restaurants are really good, and it’s a very close knit community where everyone knows who you are - and friendliness, hard work and loyalty are a common trait among locals.

The only things lacking in my opinion for those of us living here full time are more shopping choices (the nearest true retail mall is in Morgantown WV) and a large community recreation center for the local kids. The Wisp has a swimming pool but the other closest training pool is in Kingwood WV. We have ball fields and basketball courts but it appears there is a need for more fields, lighted basketball courts, and upgraded facilities.

Most will tell you the only way to create and attract more high paying jobs is to increase the population base and tax rolls. The full time population of Garrett County has remained relatively flat for the past 30-40 years. To me that is the biggest reason why there are not many high paying jobs now. Most other counties in Maryland have greatly increased their population base over the last 20-30 years. Our elected officials have never made it a priority to “grow” the county in that manner. The only way to “grow” the county in the future will be for the people to elect county commissioners who make growth a priority while at the same time protecting the scenic and rural nature of the Deep Creek Lake resort area.

By: Susan

Susan — Tue, 19 May 2009 12:27:46 +0000

I would like to say Oakland MD is at least 10 years behind other areas. Unless your family has a local business you can bairly get by . The only kids staying in the area are the ones with a family business, or the farmers or the ones to poor to leave, they get pregnant , or get into trouble. The average pay around here is the worst I have ever seen.Busnesses offer no health insurance. The Chamber of Commernce wants to make this a Vacation area, but they don t want new businesses to come in. Wal Mart is making a killing in this town, and I and many others still need to go out of town to clothes shop this is outragious. Gas is higher in this town food , and clothes are also higher. I have already sent two of my children out of this area for a better life but I keep hoping by the time my third child gets old enough there will be more around here for him. A Big change needs to come to Oakland soon . Not to much new in the past 20 years in fact I can count the changes on one hand . A sorry sorry town for the future of our children.

By: Woody

Woody — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 23:56:05 +0000

I think there’s a way to have increased economic activity and opportunities and still protect the special nature of the lake area. With careful design and land use policies, Garrett County leaders could help foster the creation of more attractive commercial and recreation areas. The jumble of development that is sprouting up around McHenry is simply a disaster, and will ultimately degrade the quality of life for everyone in the area. There are other resort areas that have had to deal with the same growth issues such as Park City, Vail, Aspen, Steamboat, etc., and some of them have managed to preserve the qualities that made them attractive in the first place through thoughtful development. It’s time local leaders thought more about things like walkable environments, organized grids, and open space, as opposed to simply bringing in every chain store that wants to plop a parking lot down near the lake.

By: sheilamenchaca

sheilamenchaca — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 19:15:46 +0000

I agree wholeheartedly with the above comment. BUT is it realtors that are trying to draw this type of clientle? Will I patronize Walgreens. Certainly. Will I miss it if it does’t come. Nope.

Why not, as a realtor specializing in COMMERCIAL, spend the time looking for things that Enhance all our areas? How Ugly is Lowes, really?

Oh well, guess this is progress? I mean, where would we be without all our wonderful tourists? I personally love each and every one.

By: karen

karen — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:46:09 +0000

Woody, I second everything you have said. I have some acreage right outside of downtown Oakland and enjoy driving through the over crowding of Mchenry knowing that I will be heading to the rural feel of the drive after I leave the lake area. I know that Lowes will bring in jobs but they really need another steakhouse and fast food joint. I say NO! When I saw they were building the waterpark in Mchenry; well the commercial swing looks like it is in play.
It seems to me the area in so infested with realtors and developers who are looking for their self profit and not what the place was design to be. A
place to come and escape from the mass of malls with the same old food
chains and stores just like any place else. I just feel so bad for the folks
who were raised there who hate to see what is happening to their beautiful
piece of paradise. I know people do need jobs. How about the government
spending money on nature recreation sites instead of welfare programs
for Baltimore and the hand out crowd of the hopeless of Maryland. Garrett
County is not one of them.

By: Woody

Woody — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:57:42 +0000

Lovely. I can just see 219 turning into a solid mile of dreary big box stores and mediocre food chains. I’m sure the local economy will benefit, but it’s sad to contemplate 219 turning into another over commercialized paved over jumble of chains. This is exactly what people are trying to escape when they come up to Garrett county, and it will ultimately hurt the overall attractiveness of the area to vacationers. Isn’t it time that the local powers that be thought a little more about how to preserve the things that make the Deep Creek area appealing in the first place? Turning 219 into a replica of Rockville Pike is not the way to do it. Put businesses downtown, build out a grid somewhere for those stores that must have parking, do anything but what they’re doing. Same thing goes for McHenry. It’s time that there was some thoughtful zoning and planning up at the lake before the very things that make it special are gone.