Stark Parks looks to build fishing pier at Fry Family Park pond

PIKE TWP. – The Stark County Park District reel-y wants to make fishing more accessible at Fry Family Park.

That's why the agency is looking to building a new fishing pier at the park's pond.

The proposed boardwalk would slope down to the water from the existing trailhead. It would be used for fishing, observation and other recreational purposes.

"A lot of people are interested in being able to access that (pond) and fish ... but because of the hilly nature of that site, the water is hard to get to," Stark Parks projects and administration manager Sarah Buell said.

The boardwalk will be designed to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. This will provide park visitors with mobility issues easier access to the water. It will also be used as part of environmental education programs at the park.

Buell said it will give students access for activities like water quality testing.

Stark Parks requested $125,000 from NatureWorks, a grant program run by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The grant allows agencies to apply for up to 75% reimbursement assistance for development projects at public parks and recreation areas. That means Stark Parks must supply an additional $75,000.

The total cost of the project at $200,000, according to Stark Parks' website.

Buell said the parks district put out a survey asking members of the community what they wanted to see at the 323-acre park before creating its master plan in 2011. Many people said they would like to have opportunities for hiking and fishing.

"We have fielded a lot of calls from people just calling and asking 'When are you going to make fishing more accessible down at Fry Park?' So we know it's a continued interest, and we're really hoping we can be successful at funding it," she said.

Stark Parks is still working on the design. One of the challenges in making the boardwalk ADA accessible, Buell said, is that the slope cannot exceed a 5% grade. The agency has teamed up with designers to figure out the best way to construct the boardwalk while still meeting the standards.

The grant application deadline is July 15. Buell said Stark Parks likely won't learn whether the project received grant money until the end of the year.

The boardwalk would not be constructed until 2023.

Buell said it is unclear at this time how long the project would take because the design is not finalized.

"That will largely depend on how much of the boardwalk is going to be in the water versus how much of the trail we can keep on land and bank and to the side of the shore," she said.

Stark Parks also needs to conduct a wetlands survey before moving ahead with the project.

Fry Family Park is located at 2533 Farber St. SE. The pond is three-tenths of a mile from the parking lot, according to Stark Parks' website.

Reach Paige at 330-580-8577 or pmbennett@gannett.com, or on Twitter at @paigembenn.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Stark Parks hope to add fishing pier to Fry Family Park