Page 8, Section 3
THE LEELANAU ENTERPRISE
Thursday, July 5, 2012
JANET VANTIMMEREN gets her Labrador retrievers Maysie and Rose on a leash and ready for a walk and dip in the water at the Lake Leelanua RV Park.
At home in fifth wheel on lake Continued from Page 7 The VanTimmerens also have two Labrador retrievers, 10-year-old Maysie and 6-year-old chocolate Rose. “I take them to the water in the park, but it’s less of a hassle to take them to a public access down the road,” Janet said. “They swim there every day usually. “They have had the very good life.” And so does Janet. “For me, it’s a good balance,” she said. “My kids are happy, my husband is happy and we’re making memories that we wouldn’t at home in Rockford.” The VanTimmerens have three water crafts, including one fishing boat that is for sale, available for recreational enjoyment. They also have a golf cart to help haul necessities to the dock for a day out on the water. “It is the best environment you can imagine for raising kids,” Janet said. “It’s fun all day long. “Today, my 15-year-old isn’t pounding on me to do something. He had three friends over for lunch and now he’s fishing or tubing.” “It’s a kids’ paradise,” Michael said. “I love fishing, tubing and just boating around the lake.”
Michael, who once landed a 23-inch smallmouth bass while fishing the lake, fishes whenever it’s possible. “Whenever I have worms,” he said laughingly. “ ... and a way on the water.” Living at an RV Park vs. owning a summer cottage has its advantages, Janet is quick to point out. Because of the rules at the park, visitors who can’t squeeze into the RV to sleep, can’t stay the night. “They don’t want a tent village and there would be additional stress on the resources from people who didn’t have to pay anything,” Janet said. “And I understand that.” But not all the VanTimmerens’ family and friends would concur. “I’ve had people say ‘That stinks,’” Janet said. “But the rules are in place to protect us.” Janet, who said she knows other folks who have cottages and can’t get rid of their summer guests, loves to entertain family at the RV Park. “I’ve said all along that I’d love to take you out on the boat every day, but you need to stay somewhere else or have your own trailer,” she said. Janet credits the Wilson family, which owns and operates the RV Park, for keeping the
MICHAEL VANTIMMEREN and his mother, Janet, pose in front of their trailer on Interlochen Street at the RV Park they have been summer residents for the past decade. facilities family-friendly. “This works because of everything they do. They are constantly creating things for us to do,” she said, noting the pickleball and tennis courts among the improvements in the last decade. “It’s so fun here.” The RV Park also has ice cream nights, wagon rides and even organizes a Fourth of July kids’ parade. “That’s the cherry on top of the whipping
cream,” she said. “It makes it easy to be here, too.” Although the VanTimmerens do not have waterfront property at the park — most of that is set aside for the transients — that really doesn’t matter to them. “We’re not looking at the water, but we’re in close proximity and the boat is in the dock,” Janet said. “I can slide it out and I’m in the water in five minutes.”
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