AUBURN — Some of the money destined to buff up the city's newly popular Outlet Beach swimming area should wait until a water quality study is complete, councilors agreed Monday.
Councilors discussed $65,000 worth of proposed improvements to the area, including a water slide, a wharf, new playground equipment and bathrooms. But those improvements need to wait until water quality issues are settled.
"Before we spend too much, we need to make sure this is the appropriate place for public swimming," City Manager Clinton Deschene said.
Deschene said the Auburn Water District is performing the study this winter based on testing results from the previous year. He said he expects to find out when the city will have results later this week.
Auburn has no public swimming pools and the beach is one of the few public swimming holes. Swimming is not allowed in Lake Auburn since it is the city's water supply. But the beach is on the outlet between the lake and the Androscoggin River, so swimming has been allowed there.
Budget cuts forced the city to close the beach in 2009, and it remained closed until the summer of 2011.
The beach proved especially popular this summer, with Citylink bus service running a shuttle to the beach six days per week. But water quality problems forced the city to close it two times this summer after coliform bacteria, originating mostly from animal waste, was discovered in the water. The bacteria can cause minor skin and eye infections, gastrointestinal disorders and respiratory illness.
Deschene said the water report will determine if the outlet is the best place for the city's free swimming hole.
"We don't want to get out in front of that study and make improvements to the water and then find out we need to make other improvements," Deschene said.
Councilors agreed, saying the city should focus on making dry land improvements. That could include improvements to the restrooms, picnic areas around the lake and possibly new playground equipment.
Councilor Leroy Walker said he would like to see better sand brought in, transforming the waterside into an actual sand beach.
"At this point, no one is happy with that beach because it is not sand, it's grass," he said. "There is no place for beach volleyball, and that's something that's been asked for for 20 years."
Sharma also told councilors the beach costs the city $10,140 each summer. That includes $7,200 in labor for maintenance, $2,160 for water quality testing and $540 for water, sewer and electricity.
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I used to walk to the "Gate House" in the 60's for a swim
I did so with my Mother, a single mom, and my younger siblings. It was always worth the trudge in the, sometimes, extreme heat. We were beyond poor and that swim, and the balony sandwiches, chips and kool-aid picnic that followed, was one of the few free thrills we experienced as kids in the summer.
Many others can say the same thing, I know. I only hope that whatever is decided, that the city leaders do not, ever, close down this most preferred swimming hole again. More people than you may realize rely on it being open and accessible.
Make sure the toilets flush, have paper and there are plenty of secure trash cans for both bottles, cans and trash, of course.
Oh. ...and don't forget that prominently displayed, "Swim at your own risk" sign.
And, the other one's that say, "No glass containers allowed" ... and "This beach is monitored by closed circuit television cameras for your protection".... and then do it.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Lake Auburn is not for the Birds.....
The story implies that water quality testing and positive results is mandatory before our families can play and swim and before city councilor's approve funding for the beach.
The lake authority (Commission) has an extensive bird mitigation program at a cost of $175,000 year (less than a football field away) and part of that program allows the fowl to fly to "other" areas to roost (and crap) at night, like the outlet beach and Taylor Pond creating HAVOC for adjacent water bodies.
It seemed to never be a problem before the 2005 EPA/bird threat (remember Lake Auburn water is not filtered like 95% of other public surface water sources) and now the owners of the beach (Commission) do not want to pay for the maintenance of this area but really want the public to feel their educational and outreach programs, present and future ($65,000), are neighborhood friendly and above all they encourage human interface with Lake Auburn......PR bull.
The sad reality is a power struggle between the Commission and the City of Auburn as this city, as a municipality, has NO representation on the Commission.
Only the City of Lewiston (water division) and the Auburn Water District are invited stake holders to issues of Lake Auburn. How about that Lake Auburn (loss in recreation) study that might clear some municipal minds:)
If I was a city councilor I would get it on an agenda for workshop: TAKING THE OUTLET BEACH BY EMINENT DOMAIN (you would only be taking it from an organization that uses a defunct septic ordinance to devalue and take lands from private Auburn ownership @ 800/ac. that otherwise could be assessed and valued at $10,000/ac) AND THEN the Commission may include this public GEM in their scope of responsibility for water quality and oh ya, public outreach.
If the city takes the land, it could than study and develop a plan using volunteers and local scholars to remove the birds, not the funding from such a wonderful asset for the community. Respectfully, the RIVER isn't there yet Mr. LaBonte.
Dan
www.auburnwatershed.org
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