In 2011 the CLCDC engaged EG&G Consultants from Akron, OH to assist with the development of a “Master Plan” for the Revitalization of Conneaut Lake Borough. We were able to obtain a Pennsylvania DCED planning grant of $25,000.00 to partially fund this necessary “first step”.

The additional needed funding of $85,000.00 for a complete professional plan seemed like an enormous goal to achieve at that time, yet it was essential. We were able to raise funding via local grass roots appeals to businesses and individuals.

Besides laying out a logical plan of action for town improvements, we learned that a “master plan” is almost always required for a successful grant application. Several public invitation town hall meetings were held at the local fire station for citizen input and public suggestions. The final plan was completed in 2012 and still serves as our guide to future improvements.

The CLCDC received permission from Conneaut Lake Borough Council to provide the town with new pole mounted LED lighted Christmas “snowflakes” for the 2022 Christmas downtown display. 

The decorations were mounted to the new decorative light poles that the CLCDC had installed in 2018 and 2021.   These decorations have been very well received by residents and give the town a nice warm glow even on the coldest of nights.  The value of this CLCDC donation was $14,000.00.

In August 2021, the CLCDC received permission from Conneaut Lake Borough Council to procure 2 pet waste “stations” for Fireman’s Beach due to the large number of visitors who walk their pet dogs and sometimes do not clean up afterwards. 

The gift also included a large supply of disposable plastic waste bags. The obvious display of clean up bags has resulted in improved cleanliness on the lakefront promenade. 

The CLCDC partnered with the Conneaut Lake Kiwanis Club in the spring of 2021 to update electrical infrastructure and outdoor fixtures in Memorial Park.

Funding for the engineering design, contracting, project oversight, and construction was shared by Kiwanis and the CLCDC.  A donation to Kiwanis by the Rutherford Family was combined with additional CLCDC funding to finance the $17,000.00 renovation. The project resulted in the removal of all outdated electrical service, including wooden pole, overhead wiring, overhead speaker, etc. and provided all new underground electrical wiring, underground cabinet, breakers, GFCI outlets, and circuitry within Memorial Park.

Existing light posts were replaced with concrete light poles that match the new decorative streetlights recently installed on Water Street. A new flagpole up light with waterproof photocell-controlled LED spotlight was provided to replace the old light fixture.

Concrete pads were installed, and new planters and benches replaced the old decaying fixtures that were removed.

The CLCDC partnered with Allegheny College Professor of Arts Amara Geffen to jointly request funding from the National Endowment for the Arts under the “Our Town Initiative” in 2014 and was chosen to receive a $75,000.00 grant which had a 100% match requirement meaning that it would be a $150,000.00 project in total.

After 2 years of planning and community engagement, it was decided that a 10-foot high, nearly 3,000-pound woolly mammoth art piece would be installed on the lake’s edge at Fireman’s Beach. A woolly mammoth was chosen because of the history of the woolly mammoths in the area.  The bones of at least five woolly mammoths are still at the bottom of Conneaut Lake and the bones of one are on display at the Conneaut Lake Area Historical Society Museum.

Welding shop owner Craig Newell of Cambridge Springs was selected to fabricate Professor Geffen’s design conception which was created of steel locked together to form a shell that was overlaid with steel rods to give it a basket weave, nest-type appearance.  When it was completed, the steel form was removed and the body of the woolly mammoth was all that remained thus giving it a basket weave pattern so that it looks like a nest up close, but when the viewer stands back, the shape of the mammoth is seen.

Geffen’s involvement also included the participation of Allegheny College students who collected local stories through the community engagement events.  Snippets of these stories were laser jet cut into steel welded onto the sculpture. These snippets are “in poetic form, not didactic”.  This sculpture will be seen at Fireman’s Beach for generations to come and will create and enhance a sense of place and identity that we believe will also promote economic growth.

The CLCDC pursued an ambitious plan to totally renovate Fireman’s Beach and make it a showplace destination for local citizens and visitors. The existing park had many deficiencies and worn-out facilities.

After much work, funding for the project was obtained from multiple sources. The primary government sponsor was Pennsylvania DCNR providing the first $775,000.00 but more was needed. Eventually, the U.S. Dept. Of Commerce – Economic Development Administration, Crawford County, Conneaut Lake Borough, the CLCDC, and private monetary donations, as well as a critical land donation from local citizens Bob and Kathy Moss amounted to an additional $950,000.00 in investment for a new park.  Much of the work needed was on “invisible” infrastructure which included earth moving, hardening wet ground, re-directing underground utilities and natural springs, underwater boat launch removal and re-building, and underwater boat dock anchor systems. Overhead electrical lines were redirected and placed underground.

All of these modifications created the “blank canvass” for the impressive above ground visible improvements. These include a new ADA accessible metal floating dock system, a new lakefront promenade, new electrical service, new storm drainage, a direct walkable lakefront connection to Ice House Park, an extensive system of rain gardens for rainwater control of unwanted nutrients and chemicals that allow growth of beneficial native plant species, new picnic areas, new ornamental trees, an engineered traffic flow pattern enhancing pedestrian safety, and an expanded organized parking area for boat trailers as well as personal vehicles.  The park has become a self-sufficient revenue generator for the benefit of local taxpayers.

The CLCDC recognized the clear need to repair downtown basic infrastructure as documented in the “2012 Summary of Existing Conditions” EG&G Report. 

We set out on a determined effort to seek grant funding for necessary repairs.  The first priority was to document a preliminary engineering plan for improvements and related cost estimates.  Funding for the overall project was gradually obtained in segments starting with $150,000.00 from Appalachian Regional Commission for engineering and storm water management, and $375,000.00 from Pennsylvania DCED for economic development. We also were awarded $1,000,000.00 from US Dept of Commerce – EDA, $400,000.00 from PennDOT for highway transportation, $215,000.00 from Crawford County resources, and $60,000.00 from CLCDC donations.

The reconstruction of Water Street (between Borough east RT 322 boundary and 2^nd Street) was completed simultaneously as the reconstruction of Fireman’s Beach in 2018.  The improvements included underground storm water drainage, relocation of overhead electrical and telecommunications lines, removal of telephone / highway streetlight poles, commercial building ADA entry ramps, sidewalks, driveway aprons, street resurfacing including traffic directional lines, underground infrastructure and electronic controls for traffic signalization, pedestrian crosswalks with push button control, landscaping, new business signage, and new decorative LED street lighting fixtures.  Because of the extensive nature of the need for repairs, the remaining portions of Water Street upgrades were planned for a future phase of the overall project.

The CLCDC requested and received a grant from the Dietrich Foundation in 2019 for the addition of a noticeable flagpole at the entrance to Fireman’s Beach. 

This flagpole is a maritime style with the U.S. Flag, the Pennsylvania State Flag, and a sailor’s gale warning flag that is visible when entering the Beach, and also from the lake.  It is brightly illuminated at night and has a mounted plaque recognizing the Dietrich Foundation contribution to Conneaut Lake.  The value of this gift to the town was $6,000.00.

The CLCDC was contacted by the Conneaut Lake Elementary School in 2019 and asked to partner with them to design, erect, and partially fund a new playground to replace one that had been removed in preparation for the renovation of the Beach in 2018. 

The School was successful in obtaining a playground grant from the Bernzomatic Corporation.  The CLCDC sought additional funding from the PNC Foundation, the local Kiwanis Club, and also contributed the remaining necessary funds. The $30,000.00 playground was located near the swimming beach and concession stand / changing room facility, and provides a safe location away from moving vehicles for toddlers who are visiting the beach.