Wilderness Lake Preserve Weathers Challenges

Wilderness Lake Preserve has become a topic in Land O Lakes. A decade after it appeared on the scene, sales agents in Connerton call it a “crime area” and others in Lakeshore Ranch view their Facebook Group as a model of civility compared to Wilderness Lake Preserve’s, the latter of which has become a comedic target on Cowhead’s afternoon drive time show on 102.5 FM. A drug deal gone bad in its Lodge’s parking lot turned into a robbery, saran wrap was stretched across roads and swastikas were found painted on homes. In separate incidents, several individuals have been arrested for burglarizing cars. In November a slate of reformist candidates swept three seats to take a majority on its CDD board, with the Lodge manager let go shortly thereafter followed by the management company. Is Wilderness descending to the law of the jungle?

Hardly. Like any community of a thousand homes, not everyone agrees with everyone else all the time. But unlike many such communities, Wilderness has had an online place for the neighbors to discuss things amongst themselves almost since day one. First neighbors had a Yahoo! Group. Later neighborhood realtor and fishing guide Clay Eavenson launched an online bulletin board service independent from any social website, and recently a Facebook Group has grabbed a majority of the residents’ attention because that’s where people hang out these days.

With over five hundred participants, the Facebook Group sees plenty of action. Neighbors exchange recipes, plan parties, put up funny pictures as well as pictures of their children and the local wildlife, especially when the sandhill crane chicks are around. If a neighbor spots a speeder or reckless driver there’s often a blurb about it posted, and sometimes even a picture of the offender’s vehicle. One shocked neighbor posted about a bobcat that jumped into the back seat of her car as she was unloading groceries. The group serves as marketplace, neighborhood watch, and an electronic back fence all rolled into one.

On it neighbors have raised funds and spare furniture, clothing and bedding for burned-out families in other places. They banded together to fight a zoning change that would have put a 12-pump gas station at the front of their community. They have also documented where the prior management company fell down in taking care of ponds, outdoor lighting and landscaping.

If the Wilderness Facebook Group is a little rowdier than some other community’s online meeting place it’s because the residents have had it in their lives a little longer. They’ve had time to get real. And real means that every time a problem arises that affects the community, residents share it with one another, give it the attention it deserves and insist on making the changes necessary to meet it. Rather than Wilderness being a crime area, sheriff’s deputies tell Wilderness Lake residents that their crime rate is among the lowest in the entire county. And rather than being a hotbed of bickering, Wilderness Lake Preserve is a place where residents gather frequently behind their Lodge around a roaring fire for an impromptu get-together known as “The Wine Pit.” They may like to joke that the neighborhood should be a reality show, but the truth is that Wilderness’s neighbors are realer than most.