Pier at Blackwood Lake Under Council Consideration
Washington Twp. already has two piers on Blackwood Lake, but this isn't just a 'keeping up with the Joneses' situation, say advocates who want encourage more adult recreation.
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The Blackwood Lake Advisory Commission has an idea that could encourage more adult recreational activities at the lake.
Commission members spoke to Councilman Sam Siler and asked him to bring forth an idea to the Gloucester Township Council to construct a pier on the township side of the lake. The Blackwood Lake is split between Gloucester Township and Washington Township. Washington Township has two piers on its end of the lake.
Siler noted the township could use open space money to construct the pier. He believes that the pier would open up more opportunities for township residents to engage in outdoor activities, such as fishing and canoeing.
“A lot of our recreation activities are for children,” Siler said. “There's not much for adults to do.”
The mention of fishing in Blackwood Lake brought up a short discussion of whether fishing was impacted by the NJ Transit diesel fuel spill that sent some fuel into the lake in January 2012. However, Council agreed unanimously that adding more recreational opportunities for adults in the township will be beneficial.
Council will discuss the pier again at its next workshop meeting in March. Township engineer John Pettit of Pettit Associates will be asked to give a proposal on the pier in the near future.
What do you think of a pier on Blackwood Lake in Gloucester Township? Tell us in the comments.
D. H.
12:13 am on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Yeah, and it can be guarded with the new armored vehicle.
J Mac
8:34 am on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
I just want to say this...I've lived in Blackwood for 39 years...I've lived on that lake...I have inlaws that still do and have since the 40's, and their parents before them...I have fished there, I've been frog'n there, ice skated, swam, kayaked, you name it I've done it...they dredged it several years back, since then,that lake has never been lower, and the fishin has never been worse...it's problems go way back beyond the "transit spill"...a lot of those problems with that lake started when they built Washington Way, years ago...building a pier out onto that lake would be just as stupid as it was building piers onto grenloch...waste of money...it looks pretty, that's about it....just another place for the kids to sit and get high...we already built them a nice little gazebo uptown for that...
Big Daddy 1
9:05 am on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
If the water is so low, maybe a dam is a better idea. If that's too expensive, perhaps we can transplant some beavers. There is really very little recreation in our township.
Schu
9:44 am on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
The easy way to fix this lake problem is to spend $250,000 on new soil that will bring economic growth and jobs to the lake.
J Mac
10:30 am on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
@Big Daddy...the water level is not the issue...the amount of sediment on the bottoms of the lake is the culprit...water just appears to be low...when you build 26 apartment buildings, and have to do the excavation for that project,where does all the dirt go? Right on the back of Nob Hill...years and years of rain have washed all the dirt straight into the lake...Blackwood suffers and Washington Twp, benefits...we watched it happen...someone suggest new soil? Is that for real?
Sue
2:16 pm on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Here they go again, spending more money. In a time that everyone is cutting back, Gloucester Township in spending more money. I am starting to understand why my taxes are so much higher than most of my friends.
I have told a few friends about this site and they are amazed at what is going on in our township. More people need to read this site!
Megatron13
3:48 pm on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
So complain about the town trying to make Gloucester twp. A nicer place. Everyone complains but never has any good ideas. Tired of reading all the complaining. Maybe we should just let it become like Camden, then maybe everyone will stop complaining.
Chris
10:04 pm on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
We certainly don't have to build a pier, it's about time Gloucester Twp. benefitted from Washington Twp. in some way. Adult activities? Really? If you are an adult in the Philadelphia Metropolitan area and are bored, read a book!
Schu
11:09 pm on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Why are we trying to take away from Washington Twp?
Cindy Leiby
9:15 pm on Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Our beautiful lake needs to be rid of the sediment build up. Please remove the sediment and improve the health of Blackwood Lake before spending money on a pier project! More water will obviously help to make more recreational opportunities. I live on the lake here, and it is a precious place for wildlife as well. Get rid of the sediment first!!!