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Three If By Segway

(Oct. 1, 2009)  Editor:

In your Sept. 24 article on Segways at the Arcata Marsh, Jon O’Connor of North Coast Adventure Centers (NCAC) stated, “I wish they’d talk to me,” about those objecting to his planned Segway tours.

Funny, that’s the same sentiment that Friends of the Arcata Marsh (FOAM) Board members — of which I am President — expressed when first informed about the tours at our Sept. 10 meeting. Despite FOAM being the nonprofit charged with education, public outreach and training volunteers for Marsh tours, we were not consulted or even informed until five months after the NCAC contract was approved by the Arcata City Council!

Environmental Services Department staff attend our monthly board meetings to update us on issues affecting the Marsh, but not a word was uttered about Segway tours during that five-month interval. When the plan was finally disclosed, a straw poll of surprised FOAM Board members found 6 opposed and 2 in favor. To me, it seemed as if the City thought it would be on shaky ground with people who love the Marsh and give their time, talent and money to keep it functioning as a wildlife sanctuary. Why else take so long to inform us?

After research, I found the Segway tours were approved as a consent calendar item at the April 15 Council meeting, meaning there was no public comment. The agenda item was listed as “Approval of the Assignment and Assumption of the Ropes Course Facility Agreement and Amendment No. 1 to Ropes Course Facility Agreement,” with the amendment being the mechanism whereby “contractor may provide Segway tours.” It was not disclosed that tours might occur at the Marsh.

The NCAC website does not purport that its Segway tours are limited to or even targeted at persons with mobility problems, which is the justification for allowing “electric personal assistive mobility devices” like electric wheelchairs and tricycles on Arcata Marsh trails, where City ordinance bans motorized vehicles. Letting able-bodied people use these “assistive mobility devices” is akin to enabling scammers driving vehicles with handicapped stickers to take advantage of rules written to help a minority.

The NCAC website is advertising pay-for-hire Segway tours of the Arcata Marsh, as well of the Community Forest and downtown, although no schedules or costs are posted. This seems to contradict Heather Stevens, Arcata recreation manager, who is quoted as saying “There are no routes that have been approved yet. We’re going to various groups and committees to determine routes.” I hope she includes FOAM and Redwood Region Audubon Society among the groups to be consulted, as both have led free weekly Marsh tours for many years.

Everyone who has contacted me after reading the article has expressed opposition to Segway tours of the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary and asked how they can be stopped. I hope that Mr. O’Connor stands by his statement that “if people really don’t want Segways on the Marsh Trails, I won’t send them there.”

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