New at Sylvan Shores Sylvan Shores residents Bud and Joanne Folkert stood in front of one of two new rain gardens built and planted in the past year by Statema RainGardens near the Sylvan Shores clubhouse. The Sylvan Shores Property Owners Association is planning a 40th anniversary celebration July 25 and 26. Members of the SSPOA board of directors include Shawn Treague, president; Monica Chacos, vice president; Peggy Forstner, secretary; Arlene Grover, treasurer, and directors Bill Hatch, Mike DeGeest, Joe Marte and Joan Morphew. Sharon Kadlec is the SSPOA office manager. (Staples World photo by Tom Crawford)

With a history of both peaks and valleys, but with a strong optimistic look to the future, an area housing development will soon be celebrating its 40th anniversary.

Sylvan Shores, located mostly in Moran, Fawn Lake and Turtle Creek townships just southeast of Staples, boasts over 2,200 lots and some 25 parcels of common space, such as their clubhouse, community center, campground and other recreational areas.

"We have property owners from all over," Joanne Folkert said last week while sitting in the Sylvan Shores clubhouse. She is active in the property owners group and one of the planners of their anniversary celebration. She noted there are between 300 to 350 homes constructed in the development, with about 120 yearround residents.

Those folks are gathering together on Saturday and Sunday, July 25 and 26, for a 40th anniversary celebration. They plan an open house event from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, with Sylvan Shores Property Owners Association (SSPOA) hosting the public for a concert and tours of their grounds and facilities.

Today the majority of the property in Sylvan Shores is privately held. This includes property on four different lakes, Fawn Lake, Pine Island Lake, Little Pine Lake and Turtle Lake. A portion of Sylvan Shores also borders the Long Prairie River.

Beginning in 1969, Sylvan Shores was created out of all or parts of some eight different farms in the area. The land was a mix of cropland and heavily wooded areas around the four lakes.

The 1,700 acres in Sylvan Shores were developed first by the American Central Corporation, a subsidiary of International Paper, Inc. They divided their property into eight subdivisions with roads that served the 2,200 lots. All lots were surveyed and platted. Roads were built, utility lines put in (mostly underground) and a clubhouse with swimming pool, a beach house and boat ramps were constructed. Tennis courts, playgrounds, picnic areas and other recreational areas were included.

Staples and Brower- ville area contractors were kept busy in the late 1960s, early '70s. Frank Kobliska and Bob Sanders built the roads, Fred Becker built the beach house and clubhouse, which is located at 40302 Paradise Drive, near the main entrance to Sylvan Shores. Doug Grossman was the electrical contractor; Giza Plumbing and Heating did all the plumbing, heating and air conditioning work; Japke Decorating did the painting.

Over the years, the ownership of the development changed from the private companies, first American Central and then LaRue Enterprises, until 1977, when the Sylvan Shores Property Owners Association took over control of the common areas of the development. Corporate land sales ceased in 1981, with the SSPOA since then assisting in promotion of the development. "We are not a developer, but we assist in selling lots, which are privately owned," Joanne Folkert said.

After going through a span of years with vacant lots going tax forfeit, interest in Sylvan Shores land increased early this century. The number of unsold lots diminished to around zero in 2000, with more than 50 new homes being built between 2002 and 2007. More than 300 real estate transaction took place in Sylvan Shores in 2006.

Since that peak, the state and national economy over the past two years had brought housing starts and Sylvan Shores land sales activity to a standstill. Folkert and others feel this is only temporary and are optimistic about the future.

"We are quite a mixture of people. We have some 40-year residents but we are not a retirement community. We have at least 31 young families living here, people with children in school.

"It's a blend of interesting people who have migrated here for a variety of reasons," Folkert said. For most, Sylvan Shores provided a mix of water

and wooded lots, but it also provided a neighborhood. "We are a welcoming place, a mix of neighbors, just like any other neighborhood," she said.

The anniversary weekend events will take place on both Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday events, which are primarily intended for property owners, will include a 'Tin Man Marathon" (walking, paddling, biking event). "We didn't think we were ready for an Iron Man Marathon, Joanne and her husband, Bud, joked. Various activities, including a fishing contest on Turtle Lake, horseshoes, volleyball and children's games, are planned during the day. Prizes for the various events will be awarded that night at the Community Center, which is located at 39560 Oak Drive, near the west end of Sylvan Shores.

There will be a Saturday morning pancake breakfast at the community center, with a spaghetti supper also planned there. There will not be an organized noon meal, but residents are encouraged to picnic at the clubhouse or community center.

Sunday will begin with a morning coffee and breakfast at the clubhouse, followed by an ecumenical worship service led by clergy from the SSPOA membership. The open house hours are from 1 to 4 p.m., with a Connie Etzler concert at the Sylvan Shores clubhouse starting at 2 p.m.