Puppies and Putters at the Beach

[XLFD]

Discussions about the West End Project has pretty much disappeared in its sophomore year.  A good reason for that is because a lot of the project has disappeared under the sand, but there is still a lot of it visible.  To the romantic at heart, it may remind them of ruins and remnants of a once-fabulous Forgotten City in the desert (if they ignore the expanse of Lake Michigan in the backdrop), but to others, it looks like a forgotten project of the local DPW to clean up before the tourists show up:

The second weekend of the summer finds the West End Slab (affectionately labeled WES the puppy, or pony if you prefer) totally untended and having more sand on it than ever.  Locals can understand that the State's directives may have left the DPW unable to function at their full capacity, but why are we 10% through the summer without this at least tended to in some manner so that tourists reactions don't mimic the locals' reactions-- which accounts to shaking their head, wondering who thought of this whopper, and then wishing this area was a scenic, utilitarian parking space once again.

The almost-drifted-over sidewalls of WES the puppy at least allow easy access to kids wanting to use it as a balance beam.  The beach playground is still officially closed but there were around ten people altogether around the facility having fun on the equipment this Sunday afternoon.  

Playgrounds are rather far down the list of re-opening things, just above swimming pools and splash pads (which, BTW, is what the beach playground doubles as after any significant rainfall).  But in just fifteen minutes, I saw every piece of equipment, including a large hill of sand to the left of the above picture, being used by children and their parents. 

Few probably noted the sometimes visible police tape buried under the sand signaling the equipment was forbidden.  Being that ultraviolet light kills the virus rather quickly, that recent research shows the virus doesn't last as long as once thought on surfaces, and the virus is in seasonal remission, children should be fairly safe in playgrounds at this point.  However, if bureaucrats at the district health department don't think the same way, then the park manager should make sure signs are up and visible.

Across from the playground is another playground for those who enjoy golf with 18 holes in an area less than half of a block.  It's the Jaycee's Mini-golf course, and it has been closed all spring.  Their website and Facebook site indicate that it may open 'soon'.

And one could easily believe that looking at the lack of sand on the well-tended links inside the fence.  It almost makes one want to grab a golf ball and putter from home and put the facility to use.

As long as putters and golf balls are sanitized between uses, mini-golfing should be at least as safe as tennis or pickleball, but that's not even at issue, because the governor's executive orders in April allowed regular golf courses to open, with no carts.  Last I saw, the mini-golf course doesn't have a cart path.  

The Ludington Jaycees not only run this course, they run most facets of the July 4th Freedom Festival.  Opening the golf course this week will signal that Ludington might at least be able to salvage something for the perennial big weekend of the summer.  Sources are still optimistic that the signature event will go on, so hopefully they will open the mini-golf as soon as possible and attract more action down at Ludington's premiere beach with its warm lake waters and sandy shores.

[Epictetus]

Heard from a source close to the Mini Golf operations that they will likely be opening up within the "next week or so". Issue is making sure they have things sanitized and signed properly so that some of our more, how do I say, concerned families feel comfortable.

[XLFD]

I heard similar chatter along with a concern that volunteers wouldn't embrace the idea of sanitizing the equipment and course or putting themselves in harm's way.  But it doesn't seem that much extra to throw clubs in an ultraviolet light box or dip-and-dry golf balls in a disinfectant-filled basin.  Seems a shame that they can't open up when there is no other mini-golf in town (unlike just a few years ago, when two other mg courses were competing out on the PM corridor).

[Willy]

We at the Torch saw this boondoggle waste of money, that being the West End Project, being nothing but an eyesore and a money pit. It only takes one season for the sand to wipe the WEP from sight. The price alone of keeping this from being buried like an Egyptian tomb is going to cost plenty. The Ludington elites don't care, after all it's not their money. Maybe Ludington's own, Senator VanderWall can throw in cleaning the west end as a bonus to undo his tarnished image.

[XLFD]

Alas, Senator VanderWall's services are for weed control and fertilization for grassy areas, so if the City has the Mole Man do work down at the West End it will amount to nothing much gained and assuredly cost us more than if Tru-Green did the same job.   I can sleep easily knowing that I came out against the WES, maybe they will actually put the next phase they have planned to alter the beachfront forever up to the decision of the people for a vote as mandated by charter.  

I hate to say 'I told you so', so I will have Mary, Kate or Ashley (I don't know which one) say it ad infinitum for me.  It's a lot more cute when she says it.