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CHRISTMAS GIFTS

 The Geneva Shore went after the new boat slips idea for placing tons of new slips and piers just off of Flat Iron Park and Library Park shores. The GSR hit the formers of these awful ideas hard on video and in print and so part of the GSR gift to you is that the idea for such outrageous uglification of the Lake Geneva shoreline died in committee. It’s been almost a year since the lagoon slips were removed and there is still no decision on replacement piers. The Lake Geneva Piers, Harbor, and Lakefront Committee have not lost focus of the lagoon. Many issues had to be dealt with before the piers could even be replaced if that was what was decided.

The removal of the old, dilapidated piers had to go, and the seawall repair is still in the process of being done with the final decision on what its replacement would be after the repair was put on hold as the deterioration was too extensive to just repair, and the dam repairs had to be done. Now that all that work is either done, in the process, or at least scheduled the pier replacement can be looked at closer. The committee met last week and had many options to consider. The simplest but not necessarily the favorite option would be replacing twenty slips in the lagoon. This would mean there would be less than what was removed but would create a less cluttered look and more room for movability. The other renderings and potential options are not even located in the lagoon but are open water piers giving the existing lagoon slip renters somewhere to go with their boats and would give the many on the wait list options.

The open water piers would be very similar to the existing west-end pier and would accommodate up t0 to eighty boats. The east pier option would be on the east shore along Wriggly Drive across from Flat Iron Park. This area is very scenic and is heavily strolled by locals and visitors enjoying the view. This is also the least favorite of the committee for this reason and for the traffic issue, it would potentially create.

The most talked about is an additional west pier of Library Park. This is also a very beautiful piece of lakefront, and an additional pier system would hide some of the open beauty. There are pros and cons to all options and the Lake Geneva Piers, Harbor, and Lakefront Committee have a lot to think over and try to come up with a solution to accommodate the needs and series of the community. The lagoon slips and or open water pier system was only a discussion and with the lack of support from the committee members the open water piers fell flat. For now, the open water east and west pier idea is done unless new interest emerges, and the idea is brought back to the table. The lagoon story continues and hopefully, by spring there is at least a decision and or plan in place. The other gifts that the GSR gives to the community are prior analysis, recognition, and revelation of things that might otherwise be created or installed before the public knows about their existence.

Watching and reporting on the behavior of a new city administrator whose selection is kept secret so that he must owe the few people who appointed him is one thing, the creation of a real cost-effective parking structure is another.  The coming Main Street redevelopment must be monitored and brought under public control.  The new Hillmoor commissioners must be monitored and reported on.  Meetings must be attended.  The new Channel 25 television production presentation of meetings the GSR fought so hard for is coming into being.  The mayor is doing a great job so far, but the GSR watches him like a predatory hawk.

Merry Christmas to one and all as the GSR continues to do what the public might want it to do.  Local newspapers, like our own, have become more important as the national mass media has become more of a propaganda center than real news gatherers and broadcasters.