Arkansas Canoe Club Forums

After paddling Lee Creek Wednesday morning. Cheyenne, Aaron Lindstrom and I paddled Frog Bayou Wednesday afternoon. I parked at the parking area at Lancaster Rd where I have for the last 20+ years. There was a large rock with some writing spray painted on it. I couldn't really make out what it said, so we parked and put on the water. The water was great. When I got back to my truck there was a note written in what looked like female hand writing saying that I was parked on private property and I couldn't park there anymore. There wasn't any purple paint anywhere around and the writing on the rock was in white paint. Most of us have been on the Frog, but for those of you that haven't been there. I am talking about the parking area just across the bridge to the right. It's always been open in the past. I've parked there for over 20 years. Does anyone know anything about this? Who is the land owner? I'd be willing to pay and clean up when I left.
Thanks,
Hal Smith

The painted words on the rock said "no trespassing", so we've just been parking on the other side of the bridge, but there is only room for 3-4 vehicles so that side is gonna get crowded quick on big water days. I don't know who put the rock there, just assumed it was the landowner who's house you can see right there from the parking area. It's a bad deal because that is so convenient. I'm just praying this doesn't happen up the creek at grotto because that's one of my favorite after work runs since it's so close to home, and there isn't any other place to park. I do know for a fact the guy that owns the land above lancaster put-in is NOT boater-friendly!


Tommy

When did this happen? I have been parking there forever and have had no run ins with anyone around there.

First I've heard of this. Hopefully someone will post some more details.

Mike

Perhaps the property has recently changed hands? I know someone related to those folks and can ask them if they feel comfortable checking on the situation.

I suspect that someone has managed to screw up the access for all of us due to blocking their driveway or perhaps local kids turned it into a place to party and drink beer and left their cans. Or perhaps a different element has adopted the access as a place to picnic, swim, fish, etc. and they smell worse than us boaters!

We have had access to the area for many years as Hal has pointed out. Hope we can reach some agreement with them. Would hate to learn of some bad incident with a boater but will check it out, if possible.

Hal and everyone I boat with always make it a point to pick up any litter around the area when visiting and we try to keep from blocking the gate.

Dave

Thanks Dave! Maybe our mutual club chapters can do a service project there in return for maintaining access. Maybe the ACC sticker on the car could be the "parking tag".

I'm sitting there now and the spelling on the rock is atroshus(sic).there is no one here(even sicker). There has to be easement on the road so I guess we could park on the side of the road and block the entire parking area??????. Mr Smith just pulled up and we had a nice conversation about the issues he has! Will post more later.

Hopefully a solution can be found.

Perhaps an official ACC delegation can work a compromise. It's amazing what can happen when two parties engage and try to find a middle ground.

The property has not changed hands. The owner is Mr. Ronald Smith since 1972,he built the house in 1974. We exchanged phone #'s. I told him I was not an official Ar.Canoe Club spokesman but that the 875,000 members want to do everything possible to help regain our access parking. With some help from me he came up with Dr. Bell's name then later Grant Nally"s as well (probably from that poster in the post office). he has been letting paddlers park for 20+ years, some have asked permission back in the day and he even let them pull up the drive and park in his field. He knows our group has lawyers. doctors, engineers,teachers, well you get the point. I assured him we loved him and i felt the love coming back. According to Mr.Smith he owns from the railroad, down the center of the road and bridge to the center of the Frog and up around the bend further than the eye can see. The property on the other side of the road,where I usually put in, is railroad property and he has put a keep out sign over ther as well.
The problem he is having involves non paddlers.He told me stories of 4 wheelers going all the way down his property and around the fence into his field,drug deals going down in the parking area, partying late @ night including shooting guns @ 2:30 am. He has gotten little help from law enforcement, telling me he held some trespassers over an hour with out the sheriff"s office responding. He put some rocks up along tthe creek and someone rolled them down to the creek, so he put the big rock in the center with the no trpas??? or whatever painted on it, even the locals driving by are stopping to check out the boulder.
He is in a real predicament! He wants us happy but none of us would want to tolerate what he is currently worrying himself sick about. I think our talk will certainly make him think about his actions some and the problem may fix itself. I have several ideas for solutioins but no one asked for that. Who's department is this????

Hmmmm.........
I wonder if we could help with a "No parking after dark" policy?
This topic will be discussed at the next NWA ACC meeting.
Anyone with some input would be welcome to speak on the subject.

Thnks for the PR Dr. Steve, i'll split the reward with you

I have known Mr Smith my whole life, he is a fine gentleman and has allowed access for years. I have not talked to him but can. I dont know how to solve us having access to the parking area but keeping others out. Any ideas out there?

btw, as nice as he is, he isnt the kind of person to be messed with, please be respectful, he's a damn good shot!

Dr. Steve Yaney wrote:We exchanged phone #'s. I told him I was not an official Ar.Canoe Club spokesman but that the 875,000 members want to do everything possible to help regain our access parking.

Wow, ACC membership has really increased since I went away...

- Fish :)

Perhaps we could discuss this around a campfire at Turner Bend during the 2011 School of Whitewater Paddling. It's coming up on the weekend of April the 29th, a couple of weeks away. However, that would give a little time to possibly iron out a few more wrinkles and establish more communication. It will be more effective to get the chapters working together on this.

I sent Paddledog a PM. Perhaps Grant can do a little more recon and report back. But our leaders(OR APPOINTEES) should be coordinating any activity or proposals so we don't have a dozen offers out there that we can't stand behind.
Mr. Smith knows when we will be showing up before we do....he just looks out his front door. This is probably........what......24 days per year, its the other 300+ days that he is bothered with and no one is there for HIM!!!!
This is an issue our State leaders should be worried about also ( make us proud). We take alot of access for granted. The church in Chester(on Clear Creek) comes to mind. Has anyone ever spoken to them??? I am sure there are many others we should try to "shore" up our relationship with BEFORE our access is restricted, and not be forced into knee jerk reactions.