A barricade deters people from using the bridge providing access to the island at Losensky Park in Niles Township. Leader photo/CRAIG HAUPERT

Niles Charter Township officials are struggling with the question of what to do with Losensky Park.

The island park, located on Pucker Street just south of the Pucker Street Dam, is in a state of disrepair.

Terry Eull, Niles Township clerk, said there is trash all over the island and the grass is tall for lack of mowing.

Access to the island is the main issue. The lone bridge leading to park was condemned a few years ago. This year, the township put up a chain link barricade to deter people from using the bridge.

Currently, the township is unable to get the island mowed or cleaned up because the bridge isn’t passable.

Despite this, Eull said people are still using the park.

“We need to come up with a plan of attack to address it because we just can’t leave it as it is — it isn’t good and it doesn’t look good,” Eull said. “It’s our responsibility. Either we maintain it or we close it. We would rather maintain it, but the question is the money.”

A new bridge is estimated at $65,000.

Eull said about 15 people came to Monday’s board of trustees meeting in support of keeping the park open.

Losensky Park

This park is is approximately 13 acres and named after the late Charles Losensky, a township trustee. It has frontage on Dowagiac Creek and is a favorite park for sport fishing. Amenities include picnic tables, grills and benches.

Also Monday, the board of trustees approved replacing a scoreboard at South Fireman’s Park at a cost of $3,200. It is being paid for with $1,700 from the township’s equipment/maintenance fund and $1,500 from the park board.