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A Facelift For Silver Lake?

Posted on March 19, 2019

Plans to dredge Silver Lake could bring more than deeper waters.

With dredging at least a year away, plans are emerging for potential design changes for the northwest corner of the lake that would include new trails, a new footbridge and even modification or removal of the dam at the head of the lake, near the North Broadway bridge.

Plans will be presented in an open house from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. March 27 at the park’s Silver Lake fire station. Those plans include the potential for accessing city land along the lake’s north shore, which would allow the city to extend the existing trail along the lake. Currently, the sidewalk along 14th Street Northeast serves as the north leg of the trail wrapping around Silver Lake.

Additionally, the proposal calls for a modification of the dam near Broadway and creating a pedestrian bridge to avoid the need to walk or bike on a narrow sidewalk along the busy street.

“The pedestrian access over the North Broadway bridge has been challenging at best,” said Mike Nigbur, head of the Park and Forestry Division. He noted that work could also include improving connections to the trail on the west side of Broadway.

The dam modification would create a stepped river corridor along the proposed trail addition while keeping most of the existing lake in place.

“What you are actually creating is cascades or a drop structure series that allows fish and natural habitat to occur and allows you to kayak down that area,” Nigbur said, noting studies show it can be done without drastically affecting downstream water levels.

Building on existing plans

Much of the work being proposed has been pitched or planned in the past.

Dredging plans are on hold until a Seventh Street Northeast Bridge preservation project is completed later this year. The bridge repairs are needed to allow the structure to be used for hauling the sediment taken from the lake.

That means the lake dredging can start as early as next year, 2020, which will temporarily lower water levels and make it possible to access city-owned land between the north side of the lake and several homes. That would allow the city to consider a trail extension there. That is listed as a planned project in the city’s Park and Recreation System Plan adopted in 2016.

The problem? Money. While the dredging expense is already planned, Nigbur said any work after that point will likely require a new funding source.

The trail extension could be funded, at least in part, with a state grant, but additional local funds would be needed, too. The same goes for any modification of the dam and construction of a bike and pedestrian bridge to connect the north and south trails.

Restrooms at park

The proposal comes approximately a week after the city’s Park Board discussed a desire to establish for priority list for funding park projects.

“That’s part of the discussion we need to have on the system plan,” Park and Recreation Director Paul Widman said during the board’s March 5 meeting. A work session might be scheduled to discuss such a plan.

The priority concerns followed a conversation of a proposal to remodel public restrooms at Silver Lake, a project that is among requested work from the newly formed Silver Lake Friends organization.

Park board member Angela Gupta said she struggles with authorizing upgrades in Silver Lake when other parks have fewer amenities. She said a priority plan would help ensure funds were fairly distributed.

At the same time, Nigbur noted the mix of households surrounding Silver Lake Park make the park eligible for funding not available in other parts of the city.

“It is a high-needs area, and there’s a diverse population that lives along Silver Lake,” he said.

‘True jewel’

Greg Munson, a founding member of the Silver Lake group who lives on the edge of the park — and a Post Bulletin writer who writes a column, Nature Nut — said he sees value in working toward both park efforts at the same time.

“It’s another step in the direction of making Silver Lake the true jewel in the park system in the center of the city,” he said, noting funding amounts and sources are likely different for the requested upkeep and the new proposal.

Nigbur said potential costs and funding plans will be part of an ongoing discussion as the city seeks public input on the plan.

“It’s a long way from being a done deal, especially since there is no funding for it,” he said.

However, he noted the options meet with the city’s vision for the park and could be done alongside work that is already planned, which could create an efficient use of available funding.

He said the addition of the lakeside trail and improved access will enhance the area, rather than sending walkers and bicyclists onto city streets and sidewalks through neighborhoods.

“We want to put it on the lake where people have the ability to enjoy the amenity that the city has,” he said.

Source: postbulletin.com

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