by Sherry Gros
April 26, 2022
Look at the millions of dollars in monies given away by Mobile County Commission in the link below. There is no reason in this world why Highland Park and dam could not have been a benefactor from this program could the people had worked for this. The City and County are repeating a mantra to inquirers regarding dam restoration. “It’s a private lake.” And to that I say “Not entirely so.” It is a watershed that is protected under the Clean Water Act which the county and the City has violated in the case of Lake Optimist. Also, there are private lakes and dams that get federal, state, and local assistance throughout the history of the United States. Optimist Lake Dam was originally a public works project during the Langan era after all. The idea of “privacy” comes from the historical records that Highland Park was once an “all white” neighborhood thus making the swimming area private. The private or all white swimming area went away with the anti discrimination housing act of 1968 which is why Carl Swanstrom, the developer of HIghland Park sold the park and submerged lands to HPca in 1968. The waters of lake Optimist are public waters protected under the Clean Water Act. If the people of HIghland Park would unite and properly administer the law according to their authority a bank of cash could be opened to a park, dam and watershed system restoration more beautiful than you ever thought possible. HPca is looking for interested persons willing to form a citizens action group to work together to make this restoration possible. https://www.wkrg.com/…/several-arpa-projects-selected…/