ORONOCO, Minn. (KTTC) –
Plenty of boaters will be headed to Lake Zumbro in the coming days to enjoy Memorial Day weekend, but they’re going to be left with only one ramp to use unless they’re willing to pay.
The owner of Fisherman’s Inn in Oronoco is cracking down on who can use the boat landing on his property.
Jim Peterson says, despite the signage, loads of people are under the impression that his boat launch is for public use. In the past, there have been major problems when boaters are asked to pay a fee of four or five dollars.
Peterson says the ramp is costing him money with insurance and property tax, and he is justified in charging for the ramp to be used.
After paying 5,000 dollars for repairs to his parking lot last year, and years of people taking up parking space from paying restaurant customers, he says he’s had enough.
“There’s always going to be a backlash. There is a sense of entitlement to people,” said Peterson. “There are people that drive by that sign every day and then tell me that this is a public ramp and that is has been for 20, 40 [years]. This ramp has been private for 50 years that I know of.”
As a result, he will be issuing sporadic daily passes on weekdays and is selling keys to the gate lock. They keys are sold for 105 dollars, and will work until the ice comes in on the lake.
Peterson has sold 47 so far, but next year, he says, if someone isn’t a well known customer, they will not be offered the chance to buy one.
The only public and free access point on Lake Zumbro is near the Ponderosa Camp Ground, and is run by the Department of Natural Resources.
Last week, there were reports of major lines at that ramp, with boaters waiting as long as an hour and a half just to get in the water.