UPDATE:
The beach on Winona Lake has re-opened after it was shut down earlier this week due to flooding from recent rains.
The beach was temporarily closed due to flooding from the heavy rains on Friday and Monday.
Town Coordinator Craig Allebach, who predicted earlier this week it would take about a week to re-open, said these things can be hard to predict.
“You just never know,” he said.
The pier at the beach remains closed until the town can put it back in to place.
ORIGINAL STORY:
Winona Lake Park is open, but the beach remains closed due to flooding from the heavy rainfall over the last few days.
Town Coordinator Craig Allebach says the flooding is the second worst he’s seen in the 17 years he’s worked for the town. Park Director Holly Hummitch agrees.
The heavy rainfall on Friday and Monday brought the lake up to the lifeguard station at Winona Lake Beach. The beach will remain closed until the water recedes.
“I think it will be back to normal in about a week,” Allebach said.
Hummitch says they’ve got most of the debris picked up, but for safety purposes the beach will remain closed indefinitely. She says the weather has lowered attendance at the park so she hasn’t heard many complaints from residents.
As far as repairs, the town may have to put more sand on the beach and will have to shift the pier back into place. Allebach says they have to wait until the water goes back down before they can decide that.
The park also has several puddles of water where there’s grass.
“The park has always been a sponge,” Hummitch explains.
Allebach says there’s puddles in the park every time it rains. The town may look for more ways to drain water from the park in the future.
