Goosebumps at Copeyon

[XLFD]

The weekend started off cool on Saturday, but after dropping into the 30s overnight, Sunday turned into a nice mid-September sunny day with temperatures hovering around 70 degrees.  It brought out some kids to the splash pad to have some fun.  It looked as if they left a lot of dirt from their shoes behind, but on closer inspection it wasn't dirt, it wasn't even leaves from nearby trees, which are still holding onto them.  It was the all too familiar goosebumps that many people warned city leaders about, and these aren't the types of goosebumps you get when the weather suddenly turns cold or you get scared.  

Nope, these goosebumps came from multiple goose butts. I saw a flock of over 50 geese at the lake's edge two evenings previously, but since then they had apparently migrated east and left a fowl mess on and around the splash pad area.  Their discharge was not confined to one specific area of the splash pad, it was more of a collage of feces throughout.

The sidewalk out to the splash pad was probably the least affected, but it should have gave a bit of warning to those who used the splash pad that afternoon.  Even at the beginning, however, one had to do a special goose dance to get around stepping on scat.

The density of excreta only increased as the elevation of the sidewalk heightened; these weren't old droppings that had been there for a couple of days, some stools looked freshly made that morning.  

As you approach, you see evidence that the geese didn't show proper reverence to the splash pad, either that or they decided it made a great splat pad.   

The north side of the splash pad shows evidence that goose doo-doo may have been fairly equally spread about the pad, and that the users that day look to have cleaned up the central part of the splash pad.  Whether they did that by running around in the muck or spraying the jobbies into the drain is unknown.  

The whoopsies on the splash pad edges are untouched by the water and have fairly good texture and diversity.  You can see the water partially smear the caca into the general play area.  On the bright side, exposure to this crap might strengthen junior's immune system to help fight the coronavirus (or conversely, give them a serious health issue).  

In other splash pad news, the City of Ludington recently learned from EGLE (the prior Department of Environmental Quality) that they could not discharge the wastewater from the splash pad untreated into Pere Marquette Lake.  Duh.  Supposedly, they had received permission to do so before, but there is no record available showing any sort of permit issued by EGLE, and city leaders dodged the question posed repeatedly to them in multiple venues.

The City of Ludington will have to come up with $125,000 to install a lift pump, when they should have known that this discharge was illegal.  There is credible evidence that Community Development Director and Splash Pad Committee member Heather Tykoski and former City Manager John Shay played a key part in this deception to the state and public.  The Ludington Torch has listed many other locations in Ludington that could have hosted a splash pad without this costly problem that should have been known about if the City of Ludington dealt with the public openly and honestly.  

[Freedom Seeker]

Cute Willy!  Looks like the suit at city hall came down into the sewers to spill propaganda to the poor citizens.  But Mr. and Mrs. Citizen are not believing it, by their body language.

[stump]

 When you look at the situation it's a  pretty crappy problem. I can see the problem solved by building a structure like they have at zoos , I think they call them bird sanctuary's . A large screened building with birds inside that you can walk through and view the birds in their natural habitat. But this structure would be used to keep the birds out . Price tag??  only about $250,000.  Another solution would be to take the City of Ludingtons big pay loader and push this failed project to the lake edge to be used for erosion control . Who ever pushed this project through should hang their heads low as they were told by many that it wasn't a good location for a splash pad for many reasons. The Geese were only one of them.  But in the end it wasn't their money , no loss on their part,just more money out of the city taxpayers pockets .

[Freedom Seeker]

Well said, Stump. It would have been nice if the area had been turned into a wildlife sanctuary. Teach the kids something besides whining and getting their way, screaming and fighting through cold water that cost the taxpayers a fortune in maintenance. There would have been BIG grants available, most likely for a sanctuary. But do you think the "city" would listen to reason and the people? Ha ha. And still no sidewalks into the park. A real traffic hazard. Cover up the real needs for the "pretty" pet projects. I went down today and four times as many turds on the splashpad as was pictured Monday, almost as bad as potholes on Madison St. You can't avoid them.  And while you're at not listening to the people, COL, why don't you blame Tom Rotta for pointing out the issues and taking pictures.  Might as well call him a pervert, also.

[Willy]

I agree stump and FS

[XLFD]

This article was in the Monday, Sept. 21, 2020 edition of the COLDNews, the day after I took these pictures (click to enlarge) telling those of us who saw it in operation on Sunday and later that Monday with kids playing in it that the splash pad had been turned off since Labor Day(see the last paragraph).  Guess not.  It was finally turned off yesterday.  The discharge permit or what was the COL equivalent has been ordered up through the FOIA: