Letter to the Editor

Metro Park should consider dam removal

To the Editor:

I attended the Draining of Hinckley Lake program at Highland Library on Oct 18. I submitted a written question in advance as requested by the presenters. My question was not selected as a topic for discussion during the meeting, so I will ask it here.

I am 70-years-old and remember visiting Hinckley Lake as a child with great fondness. There were no islands in the lake 60 years ago. Silt and agricultural runoff have built large islands where the lake is fed at the south end and has filled the entire lake with deep sediment as evidenced by the recent draining. The dam restoration project includes a very small dredging effort located near the boat house. Even if the lake was completely dredged, it will only be a matter of 60 more years before it fills with silt again.

Two weeks ago, I submitted this same question to the Cleveland Metro Park at generalinfo@clevelandmetropark.com and never received an answer. Have you considered removing the dam and not replacing it? Let the east branch of the Rocky River find its original meandering course and perhaps leave a spillway for the swimming area. Make new public areas near the river, similar to Brecksville Reservation. The dam removal and river restoration could be used as ecological learning tool for children and school programs. 

James Stricker

Nadine Circle