No decision has been made to extend hours of operation at Green’s Park this year. Lake Orion Village Council members on April 12 decided to table a recommendation by their parks and recreation committee to keep the park on M-24 open longer.
This latest recommendation included considering hiring a park ranger for the duration of the season.
‘This should eliminate a lot of concerns of everyone,? committee member Lisa Simpkins said. Council members in March said they were worried about leaving the park open without any supervision.
That view was expressed when the committee earlier this year had asked that the park stay open all year long.
After another review, the committee changed the time the park might be open from mid-May until about mid-October.
Suggested hours of operation were 10 a.m.-sunset from mid-May through Memorial Day weekend; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. from Memorial weekend through Labor Day; Labor 10 a.m.-sunset.
Swimming hours were 10 a.m.-9 p.m. from Memorial Day through Labor Day (non-school days) and Memorial Day through Labor Day (school days) from 3 p.m.-9 p.m.
Currently lifeguards have to check swim passes at the gate and do park maintenance. According to Simpkins, a park ranger would do all that work.
LO Village Manager JoAnn Van Tassel said the parks and recreation committee looked at the park ranger’s position as being filled by more than one person, maybe retirees working four hours shifts.
Council members agreed that no decision should be made on keeping the park open long until after hearing public input at their next meeting on April 26.