Cliff Vanover: “Bonnie Van Slyke’s Only ‘Special Interest’ Is Charlestown”
The following letter was submitted to local newspapers and is reprinted here with permission of the author Cliff Vanover. Mr. Vanover is a retired author, and cartographer of guides and maps of Rhode Island’s natural places.
Recent comments on social media during this special election for one seat on the Charlestown Town Council have described Bonnie Van Slyke as representing special interests and stated that this is somehow a despicable thing.
The commentators don’t specifically define what special interests Bonnie represents except to also make negative comments about wildlife or dark skies on the same posts.
The only “special interest” that Bonnie has is to protect Charlestown’s spectacular natural resources and low tax rate, to promote honest and transparent government, to prevent unregulated development and loss of local control, to promote positive educational leadership, and to protect all these assets for future generations. Charlestown is indeed a very special place and it deserves all of our special interest.
Any voter who has a “special” interest in the protection of our beautiful town should mark their December 2 ballot with Bonnita Van Slyke’s name.
The banner image is a photo of the Milky Way in Charlestown by Scott MacNeill. Many people live and die without ever seeing the Milky Way, but in Charlestown, we are so lucky to still have a clear view of the Milky Way and that is largely due to decades of hard work to keep our skies dark by Bonnie Van Slyke.
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December 16, 2025 @ 9:07 am
A colleague mentioned visiting Death Valley California this past week… she described it as being “so! beautiful! nothing but stars in the sky, like viewing vast galaxies! through a telescope! infrequently a car would go by, and erase it all.”
Ninigret Park as a year round entertainment venue; Band shell, Football stadium, concession stands… commercialization!!!
A town council member on commercialization of Ninigret Park. “Just a few more shows.”?!
Say goodby to Dark night skys and the Frosty Drew Observatory!!! Viewing dark night skies with the naked eye awe-inspiring sights like the Milky Way’s pale band, thousands of stars, constellations, and even galaxies (like Andromeda).
Citizens of Charlestown, Let your! town council… your! president, carney know how you feel about your town council’s plans to destroy Ninigret Park’s dark sky status; changes made by your Town council to Ninigret Park; “No! longer! Offering minimal light pollution, as a dark night sky location.
December 15, 2025 @ 2:15 pm
Why!? does your town council; 4! individuals!! continue to pursues commercialization, expansion, exploitation, destruction of Ninigret park’s peaceful, natural environment, when 80/90% of the residents of Charlestown do not! want! anyhting this council is proposing ?! what is their motivation?!!!
“The master planning effort has consumed two and a half years and many meetings with residents and stakeholders, during which time almost all voiced concerns about the direction of the planning effort. From the outset, the Town Council directed the consultant, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc. (VHB), to use the 2008 Master Plan and the 2014 draft, which expanded!!!!! the 2008 plan, as the framework for the new plan, even though the town’s 2021 Community Survey does not!! support the commercialization!!! of Ninigret Park or the creation of a new venue that would hold more than 1,000–3,000 attendees.”
Why? would your town council (4 individuals) push for something the vast majority of the residents of Charlestown do no! want?!
Ask! your town council!!! Why do yo want to destroy Ninigret Park?
“It’s time to move on from the assumption
that large events with regional draws
should be the basis for Charlestown’s
economy. Our economy is instead based on
eco-tourism, and the transfer of 227 acres of
the former Charlestown Naval Auxiliary
Landing Field to Charlestown presented
unique opportunities for the town, including
the economic benefits of Charlestown’s
National Wildlife Refuges and other
preserved land. In addition, the Frosty Drew
Observatory and Science Center and
Charlestown’s dark skies remain a large,
untapped economic resource.”
December 11, 2025 @ 1:48 pm
I ran into a council person at the Minisuper sometime ago. I asked their opinion on the commercialization, expansion… destruction of Ningret Park? their response; typical politician… “Just a few more shows.” I can’t imagine a more vague answer… a non! answer.
December 4, 2025 @ 8:13 am
Thank God!! Ms. Van Slyke won! There is hope to save Ninigret Park from Carney and this present councils desire to turn Ninigret Park into a year round entertainment venue.