Condition of Dunlap Creek Park a disgrace
I have served on the Fayette County Parks Improvement Committee for a half-dozen years or so. At each meeting I have pointed out various problems with the maintenance at Dunlap Creek Park, that I visit many days out of each week.
Every citizen of Fayette county with any pride whatsoever should be outraged by the neglect of Dunlap Lake park by County Commissioners Vincent Vicites, David Lohr and Angela Zimmerlink. Fayette County and its residents are the laughing stock of the region.
Check out the horrid condition of the $40,000 rest room that was installed just over a year ago, and has rarely been cleaned since. On Saturday, Sept. 21 needed to use the restroom on the Stoney Point side of the lake. When I opened the door, I was met with a disgusting stench, thousands of some kind of flying gnats, dead flies everywhere on the floor, waste all over the toilet, no toilet paper, except some pieces on the floor, no hand disinfectant. This is a constant problem, not just a one-time issue.
This neglect of the new restrooms, has been happening since they were installed. I wonder what the Natural Gas Company that donated $50,000 toward the rest rooms would think if they walked in to this horrid disgrace.
Other neglect: The 1970-built, dangerous, dilapidated old restrooms that were to be removed when the new ones were installed, remain there. They were condemned by Menallen Township a couple years ago and the county government promised to demolish them. The one used on the Stoney Point Side continues to be used for illicit activities. One side of the boarded-up restroom by the first pavilion has been illegally, reopened. What if a child entered there and fell through floor into the cesspool before the problem is solved.
Dangerous dead trees I’ve reported again and again, after nearly being struck by a sizable branch while walking my dogs along the path by the lake, were marked for removal by Penn State (at my request). Those hazardous, marked trees — except those that have fallen down — remain standing.
Fewer and fewer people use the park. Who wants to take their children there to play in grass up to a small child’s knees or have them witness drug deals or sexual activity? Guess when our maintenance team cut the grass for Labor Day weekend? On the Tuesday AFTER Labor day. Brilliant!
The county officials have just undertaken a study of the park — yes, another one — to determine future park development. Until we have county commissioners who truly care about the parks, budget the necessary maintenance funds, hire sufficient numbers of competent maintenance personnel, provide security and begin to arrest the irresponsible jerks who constantly litter the park, Fayette County will forever maintain and deserve it’s laughing-stock image.
Bob Logue
Fairbank