CONNEAUT —
Birdwatchers who flock to Conneaut Harbor will soon enjoy a bird’s eye view of their favorite feathered friends.
Construction is nearly complete on a $22,700 wildlife observation platform that stands at the tip of the big sandbar in the southwest corner of the harbor. The wooden structure will lift visitors 10 feet in the air to give them a new angle on the area.
“I’m glad it’s up,” said George Distel, port manager for the Conneaut Port Authority. “We beat the weather.”
Schwartz Construction of Conneaut is putting the finishing touches on the wooden platform, a permanent structure which is 12-by-24 feet in size. “All that’s needed is the metal hand rail,” Denver Spieldenner, port authority chairman, said Friday.
Brush surrounding the platform will be cleared away this year or early 2012 to provide a better view of the marsh, Spieldenner said.
Planning for the platform began nearly two years ago, in part a tip-of-the-hat to visitors who visit the lakefront for its abundant waterfowl. Conneaut Harbor has developed a reputation among birdwatchers in the region as a must-visit destination.
A grant from Ashtabula County’s Civic Development Corporation last year made the project possible.
“The port authority wants to thank the CDC,” Spieldenner said. “We really appreciate their help. And thanks to Schwartz Construction for the professional job they’ve done.”
With funding in hand, the Port Authority began working to secure the government permits needed before the first nail could be hammered.
Plenty of time was needed to obtain a non-water dependent use permit from regulators, an off-shoot of the authority’s submerged land lease, Distel said. Building and zoning permits followed in short order, he said.
The platform is the second spot in the harbor set aside for bird buffs and nature lovers. A small, wooden, street-level deck — built years ago — sits along Naylor Boulevard and affords a view of the marsh adjacent to the public boat launching ramps.
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