Lamont McClure and the Department of Parks and Recreation announce the installation of two adaptive fishing piers and an adaptive kayak launch on the shores at Minsi Lake in Upper Mount Bethel Township. These lakeside amenities are designed and built for wheelchair access in order to provide fishing and boating opportunities for everyone, regardless of physical ability. One adaptive fishing pier was installed on each of the two stone jetties on the south and west sides of the Lake, and an adaptive kayak launch was installed next to the boat dock on the east side of Minsi.

“The pandemic showed us how important our recreational facilities are to the public,” says Lamont McClure. “Accessible fishing piers and a kayak launch will enable more people to enjoy activities at Minsi Lake.”

The installation of these accessible facilities accomplishes the first phase of the Minsi Lake Recreational Improvements Project, which aims to replace decades-old park amenities and infrastructure, build new recreation and park facilities, and most importantly, make Minsi Lake an accessible outdoor recreation destination for the region.

Later this year, a wheelchair accessible pedestrian bridge will span the new 125-foot-wide spillway at Minsi, connecting the east and west side parking lots and recreation areas for the first time in the Lake’s 50-year history. In the meantime, a consulting firm is designing additional accessible facilities and amenities for areas on the east, west and south shores. Some of the planned improvements include accessible restrooms, pavilions, picnic tables, grills, and an interconnected trail system.

“The Parks Department will continue to make improvements to our facilities so everyone can enjoy the natural world and its amenities,” says Superintendent Bryan Cope. “

The Parks Department and Friends of Minsi Lake are working with Team River Runner and other disability advocacy organizations to plan, coordinate and deliver adaptive orientation training for people with mobility issues, who want to learn how to kayak or fish. Anyone interested in the training can contact Bob Amelio at the LV Center for Independent Living at 610-770-9781 Ext. 111 or the Lehigh Valley Chapter of Team River Runner at https://www.trr-lv.org

Northampton County has committed $500,000 to the Minsi Lake Recreational Improvements Project, which will be used to match grant requests the County makes to fund improvements at the lake. To date, County funds have matched two state grants that will help fund nearly one million dollars in recreational improvements at Minsi Lake.

Minsi Lake and its 311 acres of state-owned land and waters was the very first County Park managed for public recreation by the Northampton County Parks Department. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania first leased Minsi to the County in 1975, the very same year the County Parks Department was established. Forty-six years later, another nineteen parks and conservation areas totaling some 2000 acres of green space are among Northampton County’s parks and conservation areas, providing outdoor recreation, natural resource protection and ecological services for everyone who lives, works and plays in Northampton County.

 
Information provided to TVL by:
Becky Bartlett
Deputy Director of Administration
Northampton County Government Center
669 Washington Street
Easton, PA 18042
https://www.northamptoncounty.org/

 

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