CURWENSVILLE – Nearly two dozen people gathered to give input into the Curwensville Lake master site plan in progress Wednesday night. Those gathered consisted of the public, members of Curwensville Borough Council, Curwensville Borough’s mayor and members of the Curwensville Lake Authority.
The master site plan will be the Curwensville Lake Authority’s best case scenario for plans on improving the lake. It will also be a tool in applying for grants and fundraising to help achieve the improvements it will eventually lay out.
The authority is the governing body assigned by the Clearfield County Commissioners to look after the lake. The county is leasing the land, but not the lake itself, by the Army Corps of Engineers who constructed the dam to primarily be a flood control project. As such, major changes to the lake would require working with the Army Corps.
Three representatives of Herbert, Rowland and Grubic, Inc. took the suggestions and facilitated the hour-plus long conversation about the needs and downsides of Curwensville Lake as it currently is. The representatives were Jim Feath, Jim Watenpool and Nichole Mendinsky.
The topic of balancing several factors came up repeatedly during the input session. What niche should the lake begin working towards first; campers, boaters or anglers; balancing the cost of a want against the desire for it; or just where is the middle ground between adding facilities to the lake and leaving it as a nature recreational site?
Increased security was mentioned a few times. The authority representative mentioned they had looked into hiring the same outfit that guards Treasure Lake, but at the time being are unable to afford this group.
Proving fuel for watercraft at or near the lake was supported. This had been looked into by the Curwensville Lake Authority, and it was revealed that it would cost $25-$50,000 to install a fuel station either at the entrance of the lake or as a marina before even considering environmental regulations or fines from accidents. The lack of a fuel station was used as an example of a possible plus. By out of town visitors coming to the lake needing to get their fuel from the nearest gas stations, in the Curwensville Borough, would strengthen ties between the lake and the community.
Some of the suggested ideas:
- Cabins
- Concert accommodations
- Floating stage
- National level events
- Better trail ways for jogging/running
- Rental shop
- Snow skis rentals.
- Kayaks, canoes, house boats rentals.
- Fuel station, If not run by the CLA, a partnership with a third party to fund/run it.
- Wild life station
- Security
- Improved restroom facilities
- Improved/increased lighting
- Directional signs to help show people how to reach the lake.