THIS past Tinian fiesta weekend I had a great time with my family. Tinian was alive with happy spirit. Families were enjoying one another’s company and the dreadful economic doom that faces us all was kicked to the curb in exchange for a firestorm of economic spending activity.
The weekend was highlighted by the soft opening of Tinian’s first Nature Reserve Park located on the Tinian Kastiyu Plateau. I have heard a lot of grumbling from the community on why the Tinian mayor was spending so much tax payer money on this project, especially during our “troubled economic times.” People would often refer it to as “a waste of money” or “never going to be finished”….after visiting the park myself this past weekend, this couldn’t be further from the actual truth.
Upon visiting the location, you are welcomed by ticket booth where you are asked to pay $5 for adults and $2 for children, a very reasonable fee once greeted by the sheer size of the project. Once entering the park, you are again greeted by several park rangers who are all too eager to escort you through the entire park and explain everything from the animals to the fauna planted expertly throughout the park. Traveling with twin two-year-old daughters and a three-year-old son, we opted to go solo as the attention span of a toddler is as about as long as one’s breathe between sentences.
Needless to say, the children and yes even my wife and I were in awe of the beauty, grandeur and yet simple nature look of the park. We spent about three hours at the park, visiting animals such as deer, goats, fruit bats, quail, ducks, geese, pigeons, exotic roosters and chickens, peacocks, turkeys, pigs, hermit crabs, coconut crabs, turtles, rabbits, parrots, rare birds. I am sure I am forgetting more, but you get the picture. We were allowed to touch most animals and the park rangers even brought out baby piglets, baby deer and baby goats for the kids to play with.
It was truly an amazing and educational time, one well “worth the taxpayer money” and one that was actually “finished” and operational.
Of course there will always be the complainers and the doom and gloom purveyors, but this project was well worth the tax payer dollars. The Tinian Nature Reserve Park allows the island of Tinian to highlight its diverse nature and environment in the splendor of beautiful majestic mountain views all under a canopy of lush forest fauna.
It is a must see for any visitor regardless of if you live on Tinian or come from China, Korea or Japan.
It is a job well done by Mayor San Nicolas — a job worthy of praise for improving the island’s offering to not only the tourists, but to our residents as well.
Keep up the good work Mayor San Nicolas, my family is grateful for your perseverance in the face of your detractors and our family will be sure to re-visit this “must see attraction” that you have created for us all.

PHILLIP MENDIOLA-LONG
Carolinas Heights, Tinian