To the Expositor:
I wish to respond to the scathing and often inaccurate letter to the editor from the artist from Aurora regarding the Willisville road and an incident that took place on July 11 (‘Hostile rage encountered from one Willisville citizen shocks visitors,’ July 27, Page 4).
The 1.6 kilometer road into Willisville is a narrow winding road leading to twenty seven homes, two busy tourist camps and approximately thirty cottages on the lakes, not to a hamlet of “about five homes…”, romantic idea but inaccurate. This road is very busy in July and August as it is the only access to these homes, cottages and businesses, “one car per two hours…”, inaccurate statement. On July 11th this road was particularly busy as many artists were in the area picking up their work after the closing of the Lacloche Art Show the day before. There are no “gravel shoulders” on this narrow road and only two places to safely park, one is near the highway where people park to climb the mountain. The second is just before the summit of the highest point on the road. The second parking place I refer to is less than 100 feet from where Mr. Mol chose to park his large van at the very top of the hill directly below a very visible “no parking” sign which followed after a “keep right” sign. He was parked on the right hand side of the road and had also set up chairs and easels in front of the van. It was not possible to drive around his van without going into the center of the road where it was impossible to see traffic coming up the other side of the hill, and to the left is a rock cut very close to the road. It created a very dangerous situation.
Although I am not the person who rudely spoke to Jake Mol telling him to move his van, I did come by immediately following that exchange. He was then walking up the middle of the road carrying his chairs back to the van. It was difficult for me to get around him and he informed me that he had just been rudely “run off.” I replied to him that he was in fact parked in a dangerous place and directly below a visible “no parking” sign. His response was that he had parked in that same place many times including last year, but there was no signage then. I responded that I was aware he was parked there last year and the “no parking” sign was there then. It was not new this year. It is unfortunate that the Willisville resident who first spoke to Mr. Mol was rude, however he had created a dangerous situation on a road that already requires your full attention and we do not need any extra obstacles on it. Mr. Mol’s response indicated he felt he had a right to park where he wanted and he made that clear to me and to the person who had “run him off”. What the unnamed resident did threaten was to call the police if Mr. Mol did not move his van from below the “no parking” sign in the next five minutes.
We residents of Willisville and area recognize that we have the privilege of living in a very beautiful part of the country and many of us are artists. We are pleased to have other artists come and share this wonderful scenery and they are welcomed annually through the Lacloche Art Show, the annual art school and as daily visitors. A little thoughtfulness and respect on the road leading to our homes should not be too much to ask for.
Trudy Bolduc
Willisville
