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TO: |
Mike Wildgen, City Manager |
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Debbie Van Saun, Assistant City Manager |
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Dave Corliss, Assistant City Manager |
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FROM: |
Fred DeVictor, Director, Parks and Recreation Department |
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DATE: |
April 26, 2004 |
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RE |
Lone Star Lake |
On February 24th we met with Craig Weinaug, Keith Browning and other Douglas County employees to discuss Lone Star Lake and their interest in the City of Lawrence to assist with its maintenance and programming at the lake.
Many of the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department staff toured Lone Star Lake on March 11th to help evaluate possible City involvement in this county facility.
Lone Star Lake is approximately a 260-acre lake established over 60 years ago, located about 12 miles southwest of Lawrence. Lone Star Lake is in a quiet, wooded environment, which is somewhat remote from most of the county population. Numerous private cabins and property are located at the south arm of the lake. The east arm and western side of the dam, where most of the public areas are located, includes: a swimming beach; restrooms; a building where boat rentals and concessions have been located in the past; parking; boat ramps; shelters and drinking water close to the lake.
On a hill above the swimming beach, on the east side of the lake, is an overnight camping area, parking lot, buildings, playground and restrooms. A small two-lane, winding road goes around the lake mostly through a wooded environment.
Access to the much larger, better equipped 7,000-acre Clinton Lake is immediately adjacent to the Lawrence city limits. Programming at Lone Star Lake presents a challenge, since it is located further from most of the Lawrence population.
Our staff did not prepare estimates for city maintenance because it appears Lone Star Lake is adequately maintained by Douglas County Public Works. There are not many incentives for this service to be transferred to the City Parks and Recreation Department.
This additional maintenance work would be difficult to accomplish given our current department staffing levels. Additional equipment would be required and significant travel time factored into the maintenance operations, including supervision. Without additional resources, it would be hard to absorb a facility this size without compromising the facility care currently given to existing City facilities.
There are a limited amount of new programs which could be developed because of the limitations of this facility. Access, public parking, sanitation, facilities are concerns. We could offer some additional camping, nature and aquatic programs such as boating instruction on the lake. Venues for aquatic programs closer to Lawrence, Mary’s Lake or Clinton Lake, would be more accommodating to participants.
An evaluation may be needed to assess the current overall condition of the facility and identify any capital improvements required to upgrade to acceptable standards. If Lone Star Lake is evaluated as adequate, there may not be a need for City involvement. As to future recreational programs for the facility, we’d suggest that the Douglas County Commission identify their goals for this park to determine what improvements may be needed to accommodate those goals. To assist in this effort, I would pose the following questions:
o Is there interest in more camping? If so, pads closer to the shoreline may require more water, electric hook-ups, sewer stations and more daily maintenance?
o Is there room for more camping pads at other locations, which could make it more profitable for a concessionaire to sell supplies and rent boats?
o Could this be a more popular fishing lake by stocking a wider variety of fish for tournaments and/or fishing clinics?
o Would any special events need to be limited because of traffic problems on existing narrow roads and existing parking areas?
cc: Craig Weinaug, Do. Co. Administrator