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Pump House May Be Converted For Public Access
Jason Miller
The News-Dispatch
LONG BEACH - Long Beach officials are hoping to turn a building once used to treat and pump water into a public facility for inland residents who want public access to Lake Michigan.
"It's old and it needs a lot of upgrades, but the Long Beach Park Department looked at it and thinks it would be a nice place for our residents," said Long Beach Town Councilman Henry Bausback. "It's close to the town center and would tie it to the lake. It would be nice for the people who live inland."
Bausback said this week the town would like to turn the building at Stop 24 on Lake Shore Drive into a place for residents to be able to go to have a picnic and swim.
Officials are trying to give the small intersection of downtown Long Beach a more "downtown" feel, Bausback said, which they envision as utilizing the community center, park and tennis court area for parking for people who want to walk the short distance to Stop 24.
At a meeting of the town council this week, Bausback said the park plan might fit in with the regional Marquette Plan Phase II, which has been designed to turn 75 percent of Indiana's Lake Michigan shore into public land.
The plan won't take private lands for public use, but organizers hope to utilize every inch of unused land for recreational use.
"That is what Marquette Phase II is about," said Kathy Dubie, administrative assistant to John Swanson, president of the Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission, which will play a role in administering the plan. "(The park idea) is something new. I don't know if they've thought about that, but I don't know if that would fit."
Bausback said the park area would be somewhat costly, but he envisions it featuring a deck, benches and maybe a pavilion at the site of the building.
"It's been going slow," he said. "We continue to do what we need to do to maintain the town. As for the park, there have been no solid plans finalized."
Jason Miller
The News-Dispatch
LONG BEACH - Long Beach officials are hoping to turn a building once used to treat and pump water into a public facility for inland residents who want public access to Lake Michigan.
"It's old and it needs a lot of upgrades, but the Long Beach Park Department looked at it and thinks it would be a nice place for our residents," said Long Beach Town Councilman Henry Bausback. "It's close to the town center and would tie it to the lake. It would be nice for the people who live inland."
Bausback said this week the town would like to turn the building at Stop 24 on Lake Shore Drive into a place for residents to be able to go to have a picnic and swim.
Officials are trying to give the small intersection of downtown Long Beach a more "downtown" feel, Bausback said, which they envision as utilizing the community center, park and tennis court area for parking for people who want to walk the short distance to Stop 24.
At a meeting of the town council this week, Bausback said the park plan might fit in with the regional Marquette Plan Phase II, which has been designed to turn 75 percent of Indiana's Lake Michigan shore into public land.
The plan won't take private lands for public use, but organizers hope to utilize every inch of unused land for recreational use.
"That is what Marquette Phase II is about," said Kathy Dubie, administrative assistant to John Swanson, president of the Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission, which will play a role in administering the plan. "(The park idea) is something new. I don't know if they've thought about that, but I don't know if that would fit."
Bausback said the park area would be somewhat costly, but he envisions it featuring a deck, benches and maybe a pavilion at the site of the building.
"It's been going slow," he said. "We continue to do what we need to do to maintain the town. As for the park, there have been no solid plans finalized."