Clarkston trailer park residents are mulling their options

Malissa Beavert, her husband, and 2-year-old daughter are excited about exchanging their single-wide mobile home at Noble Park for something better.

They're going to use $8,000 from a Tri-State Memorial Hospital subsidiary to put a down payment on a home, rent something nicer, or move to Minnesota, where a friend has a lead on work at a place that makes windows and doors, Beavert said.

They're eligible for the money because the hospital needs them and nine other families to vacate in a year, possibly to construct a parking lot for a recently renovated medical office in the 1200 block of Highland Avenue in Clarkston. Residents of another 60 sites have more time, but the hospital isn't specifying how much.

Anyone with a single-wide gets $5,000 if they leave their dwelling and another $3,000 in moving expenses. The offer is $2,500 more if they move their home. The money isn't a requirement, and hospital officials say it's a way of recognizing the potential hardships for those at Noble Park.

"It was a shock at first," said Beavert, who's expecting a baby in January and is married to a supervisor of a fast-food restaurant. "We've had time (now) to adjust to the idea."

Regardless of how fast it happens, the notices Noble Park residents received last week from a hospital subsidiary are forcing them to confront the fact they're living in a vanishing community.

It's a place where aging but affordable mobile homes sit on lots with small yards, and neighbors help each other with everything from trimming rose bushes to offering advice.

Toni Carlson, 51, may be one of those hit the hardest. She's lived at the park since she was 17 years old. "This place was beautiful when it first opened up," Carlson said. "It had a swimming pool."

Her dad used to live next door before he and his wife died. Carlson has memories of sitting on his deck with him and her son, who's now grown. A pine tree in the corner of the lot is one her dad planted when her stepmom was diagnosed with cancer. It came from their favorite camping spot in the Blue Mountains.

Carlson is disabled after a career as an aide for children with disabilities and substitute teacher.

She owns her 1978 mobile home outright, but doesn't know if she can find a park that will accept it. She also worries it could get damaged in the move.

She wonders about finding a place where she can have her dog. Her niece had to pay $400 for a pet deposit recently. "I don't want to move," Carlson said. "I have my yard. I have my home. I have my neighbors."

Public agencies have help for those with extenuating circumstances, said hospital spokeswoman Stephanie Field. "We certainly understand this could cause some worry."

A few doors away from Carlson, Tom Spoonemore, 67, a retired truck driver, is facing similar questions about what comes next. Between the hospital's compensation and other money he has, he should be able to purchase another mobile home or a house and move to Orofino where his son lives.

The roof on his travel trailer leaks and its bathroom is tiny, so he views the hospital's offer as fair, Spoonemore said. "For me, this is more than reasonable."

Still, Spoonemore is thinking a lot about what he'll miss after he leaves. He's friends with other residents. He likes living next to the hospital in case he needs medical care. Noble Park is high above the river so it won't flood. He can bicycle to Rick's Family Foods or around the neighborhood to get fresh air in the evening.

"All these people here they're going to push (out) are retired people, who are their customers," Spoonemore said.

And he has questions for the hospital, such as why it didn't go up and add stories to its existing buildings.

In response, Field said, "The board of directors works very closely in their planning to determine what's going to fit best with what we have."

Spoonemore also wonders how long the existing offer is valid and what will happen if he doesn't accept.

"We do not know the answer to that at this time," Field said.

---

Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.