The Columbia Township Board has tentatively decided to open the Township Park on June 8th.  In this video, you can view their concerns ranging from liability to violating the governor’s orders.  One of the orders may touch on how many people are in the park at any given moment.  (More on that below the video). This video is from a Township Board Zoom meeting on Wednesday, June 3rd.  Zoom glitches have been edited out for better viewing, and the names of the speakers have been inserted so you know who’s talking.      

The governor’s orders appear to allow parks to open, but the limit is 100 people. As you saw in the video, it might require a study of the many orders to know for sure.  As you saw in the video, the trustees were leaning to posting a sign that limits occupancy to 100.  In the past Clark Lake residents have registered concern regarding overcrowding.   

When problems festered in the park, the board took action in 2017 by passing an ordinance with new rules. To review the ordinance and the story behind it, please click here.

For years the Clark Lake Spirit Trail Committee has maintained the gardens in the Township Park.  That included clearing leaves in the fall  and replanting in the spring.  It also meant clearing trash left behind by some who used the park, caring for plants that were trampled on, or replacing plants that were stolen. The park is not adjacent to the Spirit Trail, and the committee has decided to end its involvement in the landscaping.  They intend to remove what’s left of the garden and plant grass.  Maintenance from now forward will be in the hands of the Township.  

The Spirit Trail requires the efforts of many hands.  Residents commonly step up to help without being asked, in addition to the regular work of committee members.  For example, Harry and Jill Liogghio have volunteered to mow the area surrounding the path on North Lake where the new Sign is being installed.  Below a photo of the committee’s Tucker Boyers clipping grass along Jefferson Road.