The Cascades Community Association Web site, www.cascadesva.com, recently took down its message board in response to a few comments posted by residents upset with the management company Legum and Norman Inc.
"The Cascades Board of Directors has temporarily suspended the Discussion Forums in order to re-evaluate the way in which they are structured. We hope to improve the Forums to enhance the on-line experience for all Cascades residents," said Lauren Englander, Cascades board president, in an e-mail. "The board is currently researching options and defining requirements. We intend to have a functioning forum back up and running once this is complete."
Cascades is a 2,500-acre planned community made up of two
neighborhoods, Lowes Island and Potomac Lakes and approximately 6,000 homes.
SEVERAL RESIDENTS responded by creating their own Web site, www.cascadesva.us, with an option for residents to post messages. Ed Levine, the original owner of his Cascades home and owner of several properties throughout the neighborhood, helped create the new Web site www.cascadesva.us. He said the site has seen some traffic from homeowners around his neighborhood and they have even had a few postings.
"People are pretty mad that they've been turned off," he said.
At first, Levine said, the association removed messages before shutting down the message board entirely.
"They started censoring the message board," he said. "That can get pretty dangerous."
Now when residents click on "Discussion Forums," the message board reads: "The Cascades Board of Directors has temporarily suspended the Discussion Forums in order to re-evaluate the way in which they are structured. We hope to improve the Forums to enhance the online experience for all Cascades residents. We solicit and welcome your ideas and suggestions. Please send your recommendations to forumfeedback@cascadesva.com."
In an effort to legitimize the new site, Levine and other residents removed the option to be a "guest" on the message board. Residents must attribute their names to their comments.
Levine hopes residents will post on the new message board in an effort to keep his community, he said, the best it can be.