GENEVA-ON-THE-LAKE —
The Ashtabula County Convention and Facilities Authority (CFA) has committed up to $15,000 to match a Parks Ohio grant the county hopes to obtain next year.
Commissioners are seeking the grant to make repairs to the restrooms in the Chestnut Grove Park area east of The Lodge and Conference Center. The existing restroom building is serviced by municipal sewer and water, but the fixtures and building need work before the amenity can be re-opened to the public. Commissioner Dan Claypool, speaking to the CFA Friday morning, urged the members to move beyond supporting the project “in principle” and make the commitment.
“I don’t think anything can happen in (Chestnut Grove) until you have a set of public restrooms,” Claypool told the authority. “Using the lodge restrooms just does not work out.”
The project also will involve building connecting sidewalks between Route 531 and the lodge and the bike trail and restrooms. A drainage problem in the parking lot near the park must be made from the grant, as well.
“The drainage issue is destroying the parking lot,” Claypool said.
It is likely that the $30,000 total grant/match won’t be enough to address all these projects, and Claypool suggested some of the lodge’s restoration fund money be tapped for any shortage. The restoration money comes off the top of the lodge’s revenues — 6 percent this year.
The county will provide grant management services through the Department of Community Services and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources has offered some in-kind services, as well.
Finding ways to improve and use Chestnut Grove has been a priority for the CFA this year. Originally, members talked about taking down the dead and dying trees in the park and replanting namesake trees, but the Ohio Department of Natural Resources pointed out that those kinds of decisions can’t be made by the CFA without state approval. That sent the CFA back to the drawing board; at the meeting in July, Kurt Gowins of Smolen Engineering presented a rendition of the grove with restrooms, walkway and additional parking and lodge access. Tom Robertson, a CFA member, told the authority during that meeting that replanting the grove is probably a 10-year project and only a small percentage of the new trees should be chestnuts.
Revitalizing the greenspace is seen as a way to draw tourists, local users and events to the lodge grounds. CFA member Donniella Winchell said she’d like to see sidewalks of sufficient width for two-way and wheelchair traffic, which would make the park an appealing site for festivals and concerts.
“The layout needs to allow for open spaces,” she said.
“The park is key,” Claypool said. “Think about having a public beach off that park.”
Claypool suggested looking into using the sand that is dredged from the marina to build that beach.
“That would be a huge asset, one of the largest complaints we get is that there is no public beach access,” he said.
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