As “seasoned” citizens, some of us can remember when you could easily tell a Ford from a Chevy from a Toyota from a Jaguar. Heck, there was even a time when, at a glance, you could tell that car’s model year. Then new brands began to be introduced into the market, and successful companies with well-defined products abandoned their unique selling propositions and go head-to-head with these shiny, new, and otherwise-unremarkable vehicles. The outcome? Instead of gaining that coveted market share their new strategy was meant to capture, most lost market share. Some lost so much that they simply disappeared.
Anyone remember Oldsmobile? It’s undeniable that consumers value and appreciate dependable uniqueness. That’s not to say that existing products can’t be improved and embellished along the way to be more appealing to more people. But, despite best intentions, such decisions often come with unintended consequences, which is why shareholders are reluctant to allow their investment’s oyster shell to be painted. No matter the initial luster, that new paint job always ruins the pearls. You’re a “shareholder,” or at least a stakeholder, in Bentwater. And its golf courses, whether you personally golf or not, are its pearl.
Granted, if you were breaking ground to begin developing the Bentwater community today, you might change some things. Rearrange some things. Add some things. But Bentwater was created more than thirty years ago when features like walking trails and bike paths and splash pads weren’t in fashion. To add those today would require that something (you know, a couple of golf holes or a few of your homes) go away to make room for them. And, oh yeah, someone (all of us) would have to pay for it no matter how broad or narrow its appeal. Unless, that is, those residents specifically wanting a certain feature could find a place to put it and come up with a way to fund it. Case in point. That’s what happened with the new community park/dog park behind the POA building. Since the developer had deemed it unprofitable for those few acres to be built out profitably, that space had long ago been earmarked to become a park, initially intended as a monument and tribute to the developer.
The funding? Oops. So, when it was determined that a portion of that space might be ideal for a dog park, it was acknowledged that not all residents were pet owners. Why should they be asked to fund it? That’s why the funding came largely from donations made by you and your neighbors who valued that usage. Hope to see you and your pup there one of these afternoons. Meanwhile, I also hope everyone can come to appreciate Bentwater for the pearl it is.
Send Bentwater news and fun tidbits to Bruce@TheLakeConroeGroup.com
