CW
cheryl walden
Jul 10, 2025
One Star – Resort Style? Not Even Close
We stayed in Oak Harbor Park from February to June, and I can confidently say this place is far from the "resort-style" community it claims to be. Yes, it's a 55+ community, but the only thing "luxury" here is the marketing.
Let’s start with the so-called amenities. The laundry room and bathhouse are clean, sure—but there’s absolutely nothing “resort” about them. There's a community room with some board games, a TV, and a random mix of donated books. There’s also a room with a pool table and an outdoor shuffleboard court. Basic, not luxury.
As you enter through the gate—if it’s working—you’re immediately greeted by the waste station and a debris pile. Sure, there’s a privacy fence... for the neighbors outside the park. We, the residents, get the full view. On the opposite side is a beautiful firepit area with seating... and the unmistakable stench of sewage. Nothing like roasting marshmallows while smelling burning wood and raw waste.
The large dog park and the oak tree orchard are nice touches, as is the smaller second dog park nearby. But the overall look of the community quickly fades as you drive past the vehicle storage lot. You're allowed one vehicle per spot unless you're randomly favored, then two is magically allowed. In that lot, there’s a trailer with four old tires and what looks like an oil pan cover, which I’m pretty sure belongs to Tammy, the manager. It's a real eyesore.
Drive a little further and you'll spot a home with a jungle of mismatched potted plants completely covering the front yard—no rhyme or reason, just chaos. Then, just before the office, you get to admire a dump trailer, a bobcat, and some sort of compactor—resort vibes, right?
Several docks in the community are broken down and dangerously unstable. And if you drive by to the canal on the opposite side corner site enjoy the knee-high grass that no one seems to maintain. My husband mows our grass weekly just to keep our site looking decent because the park lawn maintenance is not often enough to keep it manicured But God forbid he moves a vehicle to do so—you'll get a passive-aggressive manager stopping and staring out from her Hummer window.
Speaking of the manager: smiles in public, but double standards in practice. We were told they charge $50 to keep our mailbox key, while others weren’t charged unless they didn’t return it before departing. That’s not a rule—that’s selective enforcement. And don’t even get me started on how other sites openly have two vehicles while we’re scolded for having the same—unless you’re on the “favorites” list.
We’re even helping water a neighbor's flowers while they’re away, and in exchange, we were allowed to park a second car at their site. But the manager took issue with that too. Meanwhile, 3–4 other sites have two vehicles full time, with no issues raised.
To be fair, the lake views and wildlife are beautiful. But they don't outweigh the constant mosquitoes, deer flies, biting insects, and most of all—the unprofessional management and uneven enforcement of rules.
Bottom line: we follow rules. We just expect everyone else to be held to the same standard. If you're looking for a truly resort-style 55+ community, look elsewhere.