Board of Commissioners approves parks improvement funding

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners this week approved funding allocations for improvements at a pair of county-operated parks.
Commissioners during Tuesday’s meeting agreed to grant parks and recreation director Jaymes MacDonald financial support to purchase and install two handicap-accessible docks at Cade Lake Campground.
In a separate matter, funding was made available for adding personnel to collect daily entrance fees to Nottawa Park, a popular destination because of its access to Sand Lake.
MacDonald said the $9,500 for the Cade Lake Campground project involves two 26-foot dock sections called E-Z Docks. MacDonald said E-Z Docks float and are designed to be accessible to people with disabilities.
MacDonald noted existing fishing piers are in disrepair, unstable and not safe.
Regarding Nottawa Park, MacDonald said $5,000 in funding would allow for the employment of two people, whose duties would include collecting a $4-per-day admission to the park. In order to break even on the added expense of a contact-station attendant, the park would need to average at a minimum 12 vehicles per day, a figure MacDonald said was attainable.