Last week, the City of La Porte Park and Recreation Department celebrated the Stone Lake Shoreline Improvements project and announced the next phase of trail construction in Soldiers Memorial Park.
The Stone Lake Shoreline Improvement project included the construction of a multiuse trail from the Stone Lake beach house to Craven Pond, including a bridge over the channel for pedestrians and bikes. Also included were a series of overlooks along the shoreline, with gliders and benches installed, and a nature boardwalk across from Craven Pond. The project was one of the recommendations included in the Soldiers Memorial Park Master Plan.
While the construction was completed in the spring, certain aspects are still being addressed this summer. An environmental management firm was hired earlier in the month to “bring the shoreline restoration to the expectations of the project.” On Monday, the mouth of the channel connecting Stone Lake and the Hennessey wetlands was dredged to allow easier passage for small watercraft and better flow for the lake siphon.
The park department also announced being awarded a $240,000 grant from the Indiana Trails Program to extend the Stone Lake Trail from the beach house to the parking lot near the Waverly Road bridge. Work on the trail is expected to begin in the spring.