The Bass Lake Beach will remain closed to the public until July 4. Manager Larry Clarich discussed this year’s opening plans with the Starke County Park Board Tuesday.
“Based on last year’s activity on the beach and the fact that some of the public thinks it’s okay to bury diapers in the sand, I think the best . . . thing to do right now would be to leave the beach closed until the Fourth of July to anybody that wants to just use the beach as a beach,” Clarich said.
But he said boaters will be allowed to get to the piers along the beach, as long as they don’t congregate.
Access to the Bass Lake Campground will likely be limited for much of the summer. Governor Holcomb’s Back on Track Indiana plan doesn’t officially allow campgrounds to open until May 24 at the earliest. But Clarich said three campers who were already at the campground before the governor closed them in early April were allowed to stay. Since May 4, those who stay at the campground for an entire season have also apparently been allowed to enter.
Clarich said that single-night campers will be prohibited until at least May 24. It might be even longer until tent campers are allowed to return, due to concerns about opening the campground’s restrooms. “We have the restrooms closed because that seems to be a source of the virus transmission,” Clarich explained. “It could live in your stool for up to three days. Everyone here has self-contained units. So that kind of eliminates any issues, as far as contamination from the restrooms, as long as we keep them closed and everybody uses their own facilities.”
The park board members seemed to approve of Clarich’s reopening plan. County Attorney Marty Lucas felt the plan was in “substantial compliance” with the governor’s orders but noted that they may change depending on the spread of the virus.
