$2.9M in stimulus funds invested in Success Lake

Nearly $3 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds have been spent on park improvement projects at Success Lake in a matter of almost two years.

Bidding contracts were awarded to several businesses including American Signal Co, Romero General Construction Corp., DynaRam Construction and Erick Ammon Inc. for the replacement of aging park amenities and the completion of maintenance and repair work.

“A big portion of our effort was directed to road repair. That was all accomplished in the Tule river recreation area and the large parking lot, those were in dire need of repair,” Success Lake Park Manager Calvin Foster said. “Funds were used to ground up the asphalt, the base underneath was treated and the final product was a 3-inch overlay of asphalt.”

Additionally, the Corps replaced four outdated facilities and installed four flush toilets and showers in the South and North Tule campgrounds.

“These units are much more water efficient than the prior ones, thereby reducing our consumption of water and the amount of waste that has to be dealt with later,” Foster said.

The demolition of a fee collection and lake control building made way for the construction of a 960 square foot modular building used for campground registration at the Tule recreation area.

The Corps also purchased and installed a vault restroom that features modern technology that reduces odors in the wildlife management area.

Curbing was installed around the north campground, reducing the delineation that was present before, while obstacles and trip hazards were removed to make the area wheelchair accessible. Twenty campsites were improved with the addition of electrical services and the park also bought portable message boards to help educate visitors about preventing the spread of invasive zebra and quagga mussels. The park also bought playgrounds that meet Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility standards and made improvements to the irrigation system for a better water supply to surrounding land and trees.

Separating the Success Lake project from other Army Corps of Engineer projects around the state, was the hiring of five temporary employees for a one-year term, Foster said.

“Out of those five, two were hired into permanent full-time positions, one at Success Lake and the other at Eastman Lake in Raymond. Two other individuals, one was hired as a temporary employee for another year, the other was hired as a student park ranger here at Success Lake and the fifth didn’t last the full year.”

The Corps is the nation’s largest federal provider of outdoor and water-based recreation. For more information on Corps recreation opportunities visit www.corpslakes.us.