'A Touch of Paradise' to open soon under 114 pairs of watchful eyes

By Jon Cox

April 27, 2005 | PARADISE -- Residents want to see more camps targeted at helping troubled youth overcome their problems. They just never wanted one in Paradise.

On Sept. 13, 2004, the Cache County Planning Commission issued a permit to the Second Baptist Church of Ogden allowing them to purchase and build such a camp on a 20-acre plot just east of Paradise. The church named the camp, "A Touch of Paradise." But within 10 days, 114 Paradise residents signed a petition to appeal the decision concerned about the proposed camp's influence on the local community.

"They were concerned they were going to bring a bunch of gang-bangers from Ogden to try and rehabilitate them," said Lee Nelson, chairman of the County Planning Commission.

In the appeal, area resident Suzy Metcalf wrote, "The appellants are not opposed to the purpose of rehabilitating troubled youth. However, this is not the appropriate location."

The original plan of the "Touch of Paradise" retreat included rehabilitation of troubled, minority youth. That focus would later change as the church learned of the state's licensing requirements for such a program. Rather than discontinue their plans, though, the church shifted their focus towards prevention rather than rehabilitation efforts.

"This program is a faith-based, non-profit program," said Tommy Smith, one of the camp's advisory board members. "We expect to have weekend-long camps with an emphasis on youth and marriage counseling."

Over 30 opponents of the camp have written letters to Cache County Corporation trying to dissuade them from allowing "A Touch of Paradise" to build near Paradise. Mayor J.K. Keal of Randolph also wrote a letter disagreeing with the proposed camp.

"In Randolph, we have dealt with a similar business with Majestic Ranch Academy which was located in our town." Keal wrote. "Vandalism and car theft became a serious problem. Cars here that have never been locked are now locked. In general, a quiet little community was turned upside down."

Wayne Winder, a director for Majestic Ranch, explained some of the frustrations of the Randolph community. "Our students used to attend public schools in Randolph and it used to cause a lot of problems. Now our kids aren't interacting with kids from the community and most people in town are happy about that."

Winder said those attending the facility are now there to improve deficiencies from an academic perspective. Most do not have a criminal background. But the negative perceptions about the "camp" still continue.

"Most of our kids have been expelled from their schools at home but haven't been in trouble with the law," Winder said. "But the term 'camp' automatically brings a negative perception."

Such a "camp" is what brought a standing room only crowd to the Cache County Board of Adjustment meeting on Oct. 21, 2004, to voice their appeal of the church's plans. At the meeting Metcalf, the official filer of the appeal on behalf of the 114 concerned Paradise residents, cited a quote from Charles Petty, a representative of the Second Baptist Church, in the Oct. 18 Ogden Standard Examiner which said, "We can bring them in as long as they have no records in the system. It's a place for those that have had run-ins but at that point in time are not in the justice system. There's no reason for them to be locked up. The Church won't target troubled youth, but it won't turn them away either."

Petty told the board the quote was taken out of context. "[The reporter] kept calling me until she found something to put in newspapers to make sales."

But many in the town distrusted the group's plan. "Not everybody was real agreeable about it, but then again, not a lot of people knew what was going on," Paradise Councilman Dale Anderson said. "I think it got blown out of proportion."

At the Oct. 21 appeal, a meeting that lasted nearly two hours, Petty assured the camp would not house any troubled youth, but rather would be used predominantly as a recreational facility.

The board accepted the changes and the sale was once again approved. Smith said the church plans to have the camp operational by as early as late May. The existing property includes four bunkhouses, two honeymoon cabins along with a cooking facility/pavilion area. In addition, the church received a permit to construct a new group clubhouse and two additional bunkhouse cabins. All in all, the facility could hold up to 300 daytime visitors, a 30 percent increase in the local area population.

"I just hope it will be an asset to community rather than a liability," said Nelson, also a resident of Paradise. "I know people will be watched over like a hawk."

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