Adaptive pier opens opportunities at Friendship Park
SMITHFIELD -- Working to make sure it provides amenities that can be used by everyone is one of the biggest goals of the Friendship Park board.
The board took another big step in those efforts earlier this month when finishing touches were put on the adaptive fishing pier at Friendship Lake.
"The whole purpose of this is like everything we do at the park. We're trying to really make this accessible for everyone," Mindy Nash, board clerk and fiscal officer, explained.
Located near the shoreline of the 89-acre lake, the pier helps address mobility issues park officials said prevented numerous groups from enjoying fishing and other activities from the shore. Those groups include people who use wheelchairs, elderly individuals and families with children.
The addition solves many of those concerns.
"This is fully accessible," Nash said while discussing the floating dock system built from aluminum and synthetic lumber. "There are handrails so people who are in wheelchairs are able to get on it. A lot of people can't fish off of the side of the lake, and we wanted to be able to give them an opportunity to be able to get out there and do it."
The pier includes variable-height railings, non-slip surfaces and aluminum mesh paneling to ensure safety. Its floating construction allows it to accommodate changing water levels in the lake, which should make it available year-round.
Acquisition and installation of the pier cost $65,333.06 and was made possible through three sources, Nash explained: a $20,000 grant from the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association Foundation, a $20,000 grant from the Charles M. and Thelma M. Pugliese Charitable Foundation and $25,333.06 from Friendship Park's projects fund.
Nash said the park board is grateful for the support it received from the foundations.
"None of this would be possible without them," she said. "This is a huge deal and we are super grateful."
Each year, Nash said, the recreation association foundation awards one grant to a project in the state that highlights accessibility and inclusivity. Last July, Friendship Park learned it was receiving the funding.
"We were just blown away that we were chosen for this project," Nash said. "And then we also received money from the Pugliese foundation. They are so good to this county, with everything they do around here."
The Pugliese foundation said it was proud to support the project.
"We are happy to be able to provide grants that help so many people in our 30-mile radius," said Tom Timmons, a foundation trustee. "It is a great feeling to be stewards of this foundation, which has done so much for so many. This adaptive fishing pier is just another example of what the foundation has been able to do to assist entities in our area."
Once funding was secured, the pier was constructed by BoardSafe Docks and delivered to the park in December. Installation was completed April 24. The concrete entrance was poured by Carmel Construction of Pittsburgh on June 29, a sign obtained from Nelson Fine Art and Gifts was installed June 30 and the pier opened to visitors July 1.
Nash said without help from the foundations, completing a project of this size would have been difficult. She said campground rentals generate about $80,000 annually, while Jefferson County commissioners contribute between $60,000 and $100,000 each year.
After salaries, electric bills and general maintenance costs are paid, little remains for additional projects.
Unlike some recreation areas, such as the Muskingum Watershed Conservation District, which receives revenue through property assessments, or Jefferson Lake State Park, which receives state funding, Friendship Park relies on its own revenue sources and county support.
The Friendship Park District is separate from the county fairgrounds, Nash said. Although the fairgrounds, which are leased from the county commissioners, sit on the property, the fair has its own board. While the boards operate independently, they support each other, Nash said.
Nash and Judy Henthorn, a Friendship Park board member, said the limited budget can make it difficult to promote the facility.
"Other parks have hired a person who does all of their social media and connects with the news media," Henthorn said. "Here, it's just the park commissioners and Mindy."
Despite those obstacles, the park continues to attract visitors and remains well-maintained through the efforts of employees Todd Arnett and Troy Harris, who have a combined 45 years of experience at the 1,320-acre park.
"Our two employees work their tails off," Henthorn said. "Look at all of the manicuring around here -- that's their work. It always is mowed and looks nice, and they take care of everybody in the campgrounds and get their problems taken care of."
Nash agreed.
"We couldn't do it without our two employees -- together, they are the greatest," she said. "We are so grateful for everything they do. The park looks as beautiful as it does because of them. They are the point of contact for anybody who's just coming here day-to-day, and they are, like Judy said, the landlords for campers and they take shelter rental fees. If anyone has a problem, they just knock it out of the park every time."
Arnett and Harris are well-versed in how the lake's dam operates.
"There are the statistics and record keeping and everything they do with the dam," Henthorn said. "The Ohio Department of Natural Resources is satisfied with what we do. It's incredible, the knowledge that they have."
Joining Henthorn on the five-member board are Roger Hilty, Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla Jr., Ray Cermak and Sam Clark.
The adaptive fishing pier is just one of several projects aimed at making the park more accessible. Other additions include an adaptive accessible kayak launch and a new boat dock. Plans call for construction of a restroom near that area and the opening of a primitive campground.
In September, Henthorn said, a white oak tree will be planted at Friendship Park as part of the Heritage Trees: Planting History Project. Cenovus Energy is the presenting sponsor of the program, which will see a white oak tree planted in each of Ohio's 88 counties as part of the commemoration of America 250.
She added that the park board is receiving assistance from the Smithfield Township Community Advisory Council, township trustees and others in organizing a dedication ceremony.