New lakefront park is government success

Post-Tribune

Too often, the cynics complain of what government cannot do.

Residents of Northwest Indiana need only go to the newest lakefront park in the region to see what can be done when government agencies works together.

The new park, which is in Portage next to Burns Waterway, is part of U.S. Rep. Peter Visclosky's Marquette Vision, which aims to create more public accessibility to the region's greatest resource -- Lake Michigan.

The 60-acre property was literally once a dump, serving as a sewer plant and waste site for National Steel. Since becoming federally owned in 1976, it's taken more than three decades to make this a feasible recreation site.

The federal government has worked with local municipalities on cleanup and restoration of the site.

For the last year, the Portage Parks and Recreation Department has worked under a joint agreement with the National Park Service to create sidewalks, build a soaring pavilion and construct a 1,000-foot walkway into the lake.

The latter allows people who use wheelchairs to see the same vistas others do, as well as serving as a good fishing spot. Portage will oversee maintenance as part of the agreement.

Although it won't serve as a swimming spot, activities at the new park include fishing, boating, hiking, biking, birding and nature study. more