By NORMA LERNER
Vigilant/Argus

CASSOPOLIS – Evan Baker, 18, who has been working on his Eagle Scout project, received a plaque of recognition for outstanding service recently during a meeting of the Cass County Parks and Recreation Commission.

Baker worked hard on his project which was building a pier at Hogback Lake at Dr. T. K. Lawless Park on Monkey Run Street in Newberg Township.

The 850-acre park has a couple of small lakes in it and several ponds that people use for fishing. It is built wide enough to encompass a wheelchair to accommodate those who may want to go fishing.

Baker said of his project that he had some help with it especially from donors who paid for the wood which is treated lumber. He said this is his big project that will entitle him to get his Eagle Scout award soon. The bridge is 40 feet long.

From Granger, Ind. and a senior at Penn High School, Baker said he loves Lawless Park and goes there often, particularly camping with the scouts.

His mom and dad, Bob and Shari Baker, helped him with the project as did parks Director Scott Wyman and a group of friends. He put in 366 man hours and took four to five trips to the park to finish it. It can be walked there on trails that lead toward the northwestern part of the park It’s about a half mile walk or so.

“Thank you for providing this to Cass County parks,” Wyman said/ Parks Secretary Roseann Marchetti said, “It’s awesome.”

“Thanks for being behind me at the wheel,” Baker told his parents.

The parks board meeting continued with some figures announced by Wyman that the parks department is at 81 percent with expenditures toward the end of the year, ending Sept. 30. He said of next year’s budget, County Administrator Terry Proctor is still working on the parks budget. Wyman said he requested $181,000 for the parks budget. The county budget won’t be adopted until September.

Wyman announced that Arthur Dodd Memorial Park on Creek Road west of Sumnerville is now officially a county park.

The park recently exchanged hands with the state for a lot on the water at Curtis Lake in Calvin Township. County Treasurer Linda Irwin said she received some “wonderful” help from the attorney general’s office on the transaction and was able to get title insurance on the property. It is hoped there will be another boat launch at Curtis Lake when the department of natural resources gets enough money to do so.

Wyman said reservations at parks are up this year and some grant money was received to purchase identification signs for trees at both Russ Forest on Marcellus Highway in Volinia Township and at Lawless Park.

He also announced that the cement flooring was poured at a shelter in the equestrian parking lot at Russ Forest, and it is now completed. The shelter was donated by Chris Fox of Dowagiac.

Wyman said to mark their calendars now for a Harvest Fest, Oct. 3 at Lawless Park. New this year will be an owl prowl, a scavenger hunt, a bicycle rodeo for safety, face painting and crafts. More details will be posted at a later date.

Oct. 10 will be the Sandhill Crane half marathon also at Lawless Park.

Disk golf will be finished Sept. 13 in time for tournaments.

The board then went into closed session to discuss personnel.