Watershed Voice spoke with Park Township Trustee Tom Springer for a recap of the Township Board meeting, which took place Wednesday evening, July 8.
According to Springer, parking for people using the township’s rivers is an issue. “I think the good thing there is that people are discovering the rivers of St. Joe County and how they’re a great place to kayak and canoe,” Springer said, “and that’s just what I’ve seen on the Portage River.” He thanked the parks department and other organizations for their efforts to bring people in for water recreation.
“At the same time,” Springer said, “if you’ve been in Parkville, we’ve got a bridge and we’ve got a nice little park there for about six cars and room up and down the road for maybe three or four more. I know on one afternoon there were almost 20 cars along that stretch, and it’s good if people are having fun there, it’s a good, low-impact source of tourism, but it’s something we’ve got to manage for public safety, because people are going to walk up and down the road to get in their kayaks and get back and forth to their cars.”
The board discussed potentially utilizing a nearby unused field that is currently on a conservation easement.
“What we’re trying to do, and we’re talking to St. Joseph County Conservation District, I haven’t talked to anybody from parks yet, is find an alternate location around there that might be able to hold 15 cars or something like that. We’re just beginning to try to talk to property owners to see what a solution might be. I know in other parts of the county there are some places there is parking and some places there is not,” Springer said.
It was also suggested that a gravel strip be laid down next to the road so people are not walking on the road.
“Frankly, I think it’s a thing the road commission and others have to look at. In some places it’s been discouraged, but if you look at it from the sense of tourism dollars, these are people who come down and while they’re here, they might have dinner, go to a convenience store, so there’s that.”
Grave Pricing Adjusted
Springer said the township set new prices for grave digging services at its cemeteries, which Township Sexton Dan Miller still does by hand. “He knows what cemeteries mean to people, the ceremony involved, and the significance of the event itself and as a resting place. He really takes that to heart and has cared for these places. I’m sure that as someone who is digging graves, it’s a nice, honorable thing you can do for someone.”
Prices for opening and closing full size graves are $525 for a weekday, $675 on a Saturday, and $1,000 on a Sunday. “We were told by local funeral home directors that our costs are far below the standard,” Springer said. “We’re not trying to get rich; we’re just trying to bring those up and keep them more in line” with current costs. Excavation costs on cremation plots are $250 for a weekday burial, $300 for a Saturday, and $500 for a Sunday.
Spinger said, “The last thing you need is the big burden of an expense, and we have nice cemeteries here that they’re maintaining.” Springer added the township’s prices for burial lots, which did not change on Wednesday, are also low by current standards. They are $300 for township residents, and $650 for non-residents.
Lighted Signs Under Consideration
At the north end of Seekle Road where it approaches Lakeshore Drive at the Fisher Lake Public Access, the township is considering roadway caution signs where children are frequently at play, and where there have been complaints of people driving too fast. Springer said the signs would have battery powered, blinking LED light strips around the signs’ perimeter for higher visibility. He also said there is another location where a stop sign is under consideration for the same type of lighting. “The highway department has done some of those to try and keep people safe where running an electric line would be too expensive,” Springer said.
Old Township Hall to Receive Promotional Mural
Park Township contains an old township hall that is now used for storage. Springer said it was recently repainted, and the township is working with local art teachers to paint township logos on the sides that would be visible to arriving motorists. The township discussed other possible uses for the property, such as a picnic shelter or concession stand. “We just want to keep our property maintained and help people have some visual recognition of where they’re at,” Springer said.
Township Preparing for Primary
The primary election is upcoming on August 4, and for social distance space requirements, both sides of the township hall will be used for lining up and voting, Springer said. “We also encourage people to use absentee ballots, because they’re easy to get, and they also help to reduce overcrowding.”
Dave Vago is a staff writer and columnist for Watershed Voice. A Philadelphia native with roots in Three Rivers, Vago is a planning consultant to history and community development organizations and is the former Executive Director of the Three Rivers DDA/Main Street program.
