By SHELLEY TERRY - Staff Writer - sterry@starbeacon.com
ASHTABULA — Walnut Beach will get some attention this year, despite the city’s budget crisis.
At Monday night’s work session, City Council received a report from the city’s Parks and Recreation Board.
The board’s members: John Keenan, Dan Marling, Jack Peck, Roxene Trebuchon and Suzanne Westlake discussed critical points they want to focus on in 2010. Walnut Beach was at the top of the list.
“It’s a diamond in the rough and it attracts people,” Keenan said. “But, we care about all of the city’s parks.”
The group recommended $168 worth of repairs to one of the observation decks at the Walnut Beach Nature Preserve. Last year, vandals set the invasive grass/reed on fire and the deck was damaged. The park board asked council to have it repaired before Memorial Day.
“We have to be good stewards,” Keenan said, noting the success of the past public beach walks. “People are excited about the beach.”
Vice President Betty Kist agreed.
“It’s going to help tourism,” she said.
Other improvements the group would like to see this year at the beach include:
n Public restrooms;
n Privacy trees on the west side of the drive down to the beach;
n Maintenance of wetland trails;
n Resurface tennis courts by Harbor-Topky Library;
n Remove fencing around tennis courts on beach, and
n Continue to improve Wine and Walleye Festival.
“We have our act together and we are ready to go,” Trebuchon said.
Several council members said they believe there is money in the budget already put aside for parks and recreation.
City Auditor Michael Zullo was not at the meeting, but the matter will be researched at Wednesday’s finance and ordinance committee meeting, set for 12:30 p.m. at City Hall, Kist said.
