Joni Mitchell sang the words “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot” in 1970, referring to the demise of nature and the environment due to human intervention. In 2014, the words are as pertinent as ever.
I was dismayed to recently read that there is a petition to pave Harmony Hill Road in Upper Freehold Township.
When the weather is extremely dry, vehicles traveling up and down the road cause dust. Yes, I agree, it can be bothersome, causing dirt on your car and house. But, as with many things in life, there should be compromise.
Harmony Hill Road is one of the very few roads in Upper Freehold — and Monmouth County, for that matter— that is still untouched, totally rural and bucolic.
It is a part of the very nature of Upper Freehold that makes this township so desirable. My husband and I have lived on Harmony Hill Road for 35 years, and every time I pull in that lane, I still feel a sense of peace and calm.
Upper Freehold strives to maintain its historic and rural feel. Paving Harmony Hill will destroy a part of that forever.
Another line of the song which states that “… You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone” applies, as well.
Oh, by the way, the Monmouth County Hunt Club is gearing up for the fall fox hunting season, and the hounds are quite loud in the morning. Want to sign a petition?
Arlene Johnson
Upper Freehold Township