WARSAW — Center Lake Beach could be reopened on Thursday — Independence Day — if tests taken Wednesday show a reduction in E.coli bacteria, according to Warsaw Parks Superintendent Larry Plummer.

The beach was closed Wednesday morning after the Kosciusko County Health Department notified the parks department that tests taken Tuesday showed an unsafe level of E.coli, Plummer said Wednesday afternoon.

More tests were taken on Wednesday.

"We'll get a reading on those samples in the morning and they'll advise us if the counts are good — if they're good, we'll reopen the beach," Plummer said.

Updates on tests will be posted on the City of Warsaw Parks Department Facebook page.

The beach has been closed previously because of E.coli, but Wednesday’s decision was the first in nearly seven years.

Plummer said the recent high temperatures, may have contributed to the presence of E.coli.

Officials for years have said the old cement pier on the beach has contributed to the presence of E.coli because it causes water stagnation.

The pier has been closed for a year and the city plans to remove it when money becomes available.

He said the emergency closing reinforces the need to remove the pier.

Given the measures that have been taken in recent years to reduce E.coli, Plummer is hoping it’s an isolated incident.

The parks department uses a specialized rake to remove debris — including goose droppings — from the beach seven days a week. 

Employees also remove geese from its two beaches when they show up.

The only geese removed this year, though, have been at Pike Lake, he said.

"We have not seen them at Center so I don't think it's a fowl problem," he said. "I would lean more toward temperature or water movement. I'm not a scientist, but that's my sense over the years."

Plummer was asked if the circumstances reminded him of Jaws, the classic 1970s movie in which a community was under pressure to close a beach over a public safety issue (a shark!) ahead of the Fourth of July.

He laughed and offered an optimistic outlook.

"Our hopes are that the tests come back tomorrow and we can get the beach back open and our lifeguards are ready one way or another."

The post Parks superintendent says Center Lake Beach closing is day-to-day appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

WARSAW -- Construction of the Center Lake Recreational Trail in Warsaw is set to begin next week.

The trail will follow along a stretch of the lakeshore that includes the Center Lake beach.

The project will include new sidewalks, benches and lights, said Warsaw Parks Superintendent Larry Plummer.

He said construction could be completed by late this year.

The old brick pump house will be cut down and turned into a platform that will connect to one of two future piers.

"It will eventually be the deck that leads to the recreational pier," Plummer said.

The estimated $976,000 project is being paid for with a million-dollar gift from the Sasso family.

Construction of the two new piers is not part of the construction plans for this year.

Removing the existing cement pier east of the pump house had been part of the project, but was recently set aside because of an unexpected increase in the cost of that project.

The city is now seeking various grant opportunities to cover the estimated $500,000 cost.

Plummer said the removal of the pier could still happen this year if the city is able to secure several grants.

"We'd like to see that done this year, but if note, hopefully in the beginning of next year, we can get that accomplished," Plummer said.

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