GENEVA-ON-THE-LAKE, Ohio — As each wave crashes into the edge of Township Park in Geneva-on-the-Lake, the land continues to disintegrate. Despite emergency measures already taken four years ago, more permanent action still needs to be taken sooner rather than later.
"The rate of erosion has only increased," said Deputy Administrator Jessi Spurlock. "Lake Erie hasn't frozen in the last few years, which has greatly increased the rate of erosion."
Spurlock said funding for the Township Park Old Lake Road Shoreline Erosion Protection Project has been slow to gather despite mild winters speeding up erosion.
"We're constantly rushing against nature and time, and all of this is bureaucracy, so it's slow, but we're trying our best," said Spurlock.
Homeowner Mark Fischer had to build out this cement break wall to save his home.
"It was really going to take everything down with it if we hadn't completed what we needed to complete," said Fischer.
He even had to add a new addition recently to continue combating the seemingly never-ending erosion issue.
"This whole strip of six or seven homes here, everyone is putting work into their walls," said Fischer. "Everybody is having to do more work every year to keep it from eroding more because it just seems to never get better."
The Village of Geneva-on-the-Lake still needs $860,000 for the $1.3 million project to save Township Park and nearby homes. Spurlock hopes total funding is reached this year.
"We are hoping to get started on permitting and final design and engineering right away," said Spurlock. "So, we would hopefully see construction in the next two to three years."
Time continues to tick, and Mother Nature isn't waiting for anyone.
"We are really hopeful they will be able to get the rest of the funding," Fischer added.
