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Parks beef up safety measures

Jeremy Kienitz
For The News-Dispatch

Part five of a six-part series.

MICHIGAN CITY - The Michigan City Parks and Recreation Department is making great strides to provide a fun, safe and clean lakeshore for the community and visitors.

There are many safety measures the department takes in educating the public and providing proper information to enjoy a beautiful and safe day at the beach.

The 2009 season will see some changes on our beach. The Parks Department is changing signage and the flag system it has used in the past. The old flag system was a two-tiered system with a white-and-red flag. The white flag would symbolize the beach is open for swimming and conditions are favorable. The red flag could symbolize a number of circumstances that would close the beach for swimming: rip currents, weather-related reasons, emergency situations or high bacteria counts.

This season, the Parks Department will implement a three-tiered system using green, yellow and red flags. The three colors are like a traffic signal. The green flag means swimming conditions are favorable and the bacteria counts are below 235. When the yellow flag is flying, it means there is an advisory for bacteria, with counts between 236 to 999. The red flag means swimming conditions are not favorable, with possible bacteria counts 1,000 or more, rip currents, weather or emergency situations.

This change was made to comply with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. The La Porte County Health Department again will test waters and adopt the IDEM principles to bring uniformity to the Great Lakes beaches. As part of a grant agreement through IDEM in which the La Porte County Health Department has entered, the parks will receive additional signage to place on our beach to educate the public on the flag system and beach conditions.

The Michigan City Parks & Recreation Department also has a Beach Marking System in place for emergency situations.

There are a number of paths from Lake Shore Drive to the beach patrons can walk to access the lakefront. There are six vehicle access points that include Lot 3, Fedder's Alley, Georgia Avenue, Stop 6, Stop 9 and Stop 11. In an emergency, people should mention the location in terms of the beach markers to properly inform the 911 operators as well as the Washington Park Lifeguard Team for the quickest possible response.

Swimmers should check with Washington Park lifeguards prior to entering the water and be sure to swim in the guarded area to ensure safety.

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Jeremy Kienitz is the Michigan City Park Department recreation director.

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Efforts under way to make Washington Park more appealing

Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY ­­- Washington Park beachgoers soon can grab a snack from a concession trailer and enjoy it on a deck off the east wall of the beach parking lot.

It's one of a couple of changes designed to make the park more visitor friendly.

That's according to park superintendent Jan Orlich, who told the Park Board on Thursday a concession trailer will be delivered in July. The trailer will be parked on a concrete pad, while tables with umbrellas and chairs will be provided for customers on the deck.

The trailer is 20 feet long by 8 feet wide and comes with a grill. The deck will be accessible for people with disabilities, Orlich said.

The Parks Department is taking over Washington Park concessions to supplement its budget. Concessions also will be available at the Oasis splash pad, which is expected to open in mid-July.

Orlich also said an ATM inside the Washington Park Zoo entrance is available to park users and doesn't require a zoo admission fee. Each ATM transaction returns 50 cents to zoo operations.

The ATM is accessible during zoo hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Orlich is looking into installing an outdoor ATM that would be available at any time.

"We're trying to be a full-service park," the director said.

In other action, the park board voted to:

• Approve preliminary plans from Haas & Associates for a Patriot Park soccer building and parking lots, pending a workshop with the City Council.

• Approve, in concept, a contract for the National Soccer Association Fast Pitch B World Series "Pin Swap" party, with additional details to be discussed.

• Approve the concept, presented by Tom Moss, for a wedding deck platform to be added at the end of the Beachwalk public walkway at Stop 7. A workshop will be scheduled for further discussion.

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The next Park Board meeting is at 5 p.m. Thursday, June 18, in the Parks Department building in Washington Park.

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Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.