mwww.newbuffalotimes.com
M
THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021
5
Chikaming Township Park Board approves rebuild of Harbert Beach stairs BY FRANCESCA SAGALA
subject to approval of a design and embers of the the top of the stairway adjacent to the field and she was wondering how the Chikaming Township improvements that are being suggested existing stairs. The cable would then necessary funding and obtaining any Park Board approved now would work with future ones in a attach to the platform at the bottom, so required permits. appropriating a sum of site plan. there wouldn’t be that “pull away” that Chair Arthur Anderson said a money to rebuild the “The five-year plan kind of starts occurred when the stairs failed in 2019. committee looked at the park and Harbert Road Beach stairs after the to address all of those issues at once “I can’t guarantee that it will prevent found a good site for the venue. old ones washed away in October 2019 but now with the partial development pulling away but we’ll tie them up so He said the proposed stage would be for an amount not to exceed $10,000, it seems that those contingent upon areas have dropped off receiving all required the radar and you’ve approvals of permits and changed the projects - is receipt of an acceptable this a progressive plan design, at a special of development for the meeting Monday, April 5. entire park or are you After visiting the site only looking to do these and looking at the “cross improvements and that’s feasibility” of each of it?” she said. three proposed designs, Anderson said that architect Dan Menitoff it’s not the “end of the and board member improvements” and Joseph Reed said that that it can be done in wooden stairs with an phases. He said that expanded platform at board members need to the top and a second establish first a list of platform midway to the features or items they beach will be the most desire for the park before acceptable one. moving onto a site plan A schematic drawing of the proposed Harbert Beach stairs The restored Cherry Beach stairs last July Reed said he felt this for the park. was the best option He added that the because it was a lower grant deadline is we can retrieve the pieces and if we overall cost and was “completely October. a footprint of about 15 by 25 feet. constructable” with volunteer labor. have to do repairs, the ease of repairs is Board members approved asking Board member Garth Taylor said Similar to what was installed at the the township for a supplemental much simpler going forward,” he said. the Michiana Fund for the Arts has Cherry Beach stairs last summer, a appropriation to match the grant Board member Jocelyne Verlee offered a $50,000 grant if Chikaming cable system would prevent the stairs offered by Michiana Arts Foundation said that the committee could start Township can match the funds. from sliding down the slope and losing after approval of the venue’s design, the project within two to three weeks. them. as well as the scheduling of a public Volunteers are needed with the dditional features with A platform would be located at the hearing on a plan for the venue after construction, as well as to donate food. the venue may include a top that has seating benches on both the design’s submission. She said the stairs should take two to boardwalk to connect it sides. An intermediate beach platform Board members approved to the picnic pavilion and three weeks to install. would be built down on the beach level, appropriating $3,400 to hire contractor possibly some plantings. “It’s a pretty big undertaking,” she with stairs down to the beach. to grade the parking lot at Harbert Verlee said she’s concerned how said. Reed said the same construction Community Park and the parking the components would work with an In a 6-1 vote (Verlee voted “nay”), lot and road at Chikaming Township methods that were used at Cherry entire overhaul of the entire park. She board members approved the Park and Preserve to be completed Beach would be used. The last two or said there has been mention of pickle this calendar year, with the contractor three stairs would be buried in the sand construction of a small performance ball courts and tennis courts and a venue to be located south of the pond having the required insurance and any in case of erosion. The cable tie system required license. area at Harbert Community Park, would then be installed and attached at consideration of removing the ball
A
