East Palestine plans lake improvements

EAST PALESTINE -- City Manager Gary Clark is making preliminary plans with the Army Corps of Engineers for improvements at the city lake.
The city council approved Clark's request Monday to send a letter to the Army Corps of Engineers letting the corps know of the city's plans. The improvements would likely be done in 2004, and would include dredging the lake to improve it for recreational purposes.
Clark does not have a cost estimate yet, but he said federal funds will take care of 65 percent, and the city will pay the rest.
He said that though the lake is 12 feet deep at its deepest point, most areas are 2 to 3 feet deep because of silt buildup. Dredging the lake will make it cleaner and deeper, improving the environment for fishing and other recreational activities, he said.
The city owns about 50 acres in Unity Township including the lake, and council plans to develop and sell about 37 acres as a residential subdivision.