Lake goers petition against changes

STEUBEN COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) - Thoughts of renovating one section of Steuben County have a bunch of lake goers upset.

Every summer, hundreds of lake goers travel to Crooked Lake and the Steuben County Park campgrounds on its shore. Many campers are speaking out because they think their lake tradition is at risk.

For the past 15 years, Mark Reader's family called the Steuben County campground and beaches its summer home. The Reader family is one of many that make the campground an annual tradition.

"We love going there and we feel part of our hearts are going to be ripped out if we can't go," said Reader.

Hundreds of seasonal residents are concerned over rumors about their campground's fate. The Steuben County commissioners are in the middle of researching how the land along Crooked Lake can be used in order to be more profitable for the county. The commissioners told NewsChannel 15, the plans are very young but include ideas like a convention center and hotel built on the park and 4H grounds.

"There was talk of closing [the campground, so we started] a petition," said Reader.

Over the weekend, Reader started gathering support against any proposed building plans that would wipe out his campground. In just a couple of days, he collected more than 100 signatures.

"Let us be heard and keep us up there because we all enjoy it," said Reader.

During the lake season, the commissioners say the county's population jumps from 35,000 to more than 130,000. It's that growth on which the local government hopes to capitalize. Reader said he hopes to convince leaders to concentrate on a different location.

"There's plenty of room up [in Angola] if there is opportunity to grow," said Reader.

The public can learn much more about the commissioners’ research at a public hearing. That's scheduled for April 15 at 6:30 p.m.