Public meeting planned at Lake of the Ozarks State Park Oct. 18

The public is invited to attend an informational meeting at Lake of the Ozarks State Park near Osage

Beach on Friday, Oct. 18. The meeting will start at 6 p.m. in the Public Beach No. 1 Shelter House, located off Highway 134.

Representatives from the park will be on hand to discuss recent accomplishments and the park’s 2013 State Parks Youth Corps involvement. Representatives from the facility will also provide information on future plans and answer questions. Visitors are invited to share comments and suggestions. This informational meeting is part of an ongoing effort by Missouri State Parks to ensure citizens have input regarding the facilities and services offered in state parks and historic sites.

A visit to Lake of the Ozarks State Park is also a great opportunity to log miles as a part of the Governor’s 100 Missouri Miles challenge. To celebrate Missouri’s distinction as the “Best Trails State” and to encourage Missourians to enjoy the outdoors, Gov. Jay Nixon and First Lady Georganne Nixon are inviting Missourians to join them in completing 100 Missouri Miles of outdoor physical activity by the end of the year.

For more information and to take the Challenge, visit 100MissouriMiles.com. Participants can also share adventures, post photos and learn about upcoming events by connecting with 100 Missouri Miles on Facebook and Twitter. 

The Public Beach No. 1 Shelter House is located 5 miles south of Hwy 42 on Hwy 134. People requiring special services or accommodations to attend the meeting can make arrangements by calling the site directly at 573-348-2694. For information about state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

State Fair Community College students will play vital role in rebuilding dining lodge at historic Camp Pin Oak

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LAKE OF THE OZARKS, Mo., Sept. 23, 2011 -- A partnership that pairs up a community college career-training program with the award-winning Missouri State Parks system will rebuild a historic dining lodge at one of the state’s most popular parks, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources announced today.

Department Director Sara Parker Pauley led a groundbreaking ceremony this morning for the new Camp Pin Oak dining lodge at Lake of the Ozarks State Park. A fire last September destroyed the original historic dining lodge that was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Representatives from State Fair Community College and the Missouri Department of Economic Development also attended the ceremony.

The dining lodge is being rebuilt through a partnership between State Fair Community College in Sedalia and the department’s Division of State Parks. State Fair Community College(SFCC) is headquartered in Sedalia and has campuses in six other locations in central and western Missouri, including the Lake of the Ozarks. Students enrolled in the construction trades program at SFCC will rebuild the lodge as a yearlong training and education project.

“The beauty of Camp Pin Oak, with its stone buildings, rustic architecture and sturdy craftsmanship make it a one-of-a-kind place,” Gov. Nixon said. “When the historic dining lodge burned last year, Camp Pin Oak lost a piece of its past. Today, we’re proud to announce that it won’t have to lose a piece of its future. The new lodge will continue the legacy of Camp Pin Oak as a place for recreation, celebration and learning, for many, many generations to come.”

“State Fair Community College looks forward to this opportunity to partner with the state to rebuild Camp Pin Oak's dining lodge,” said Dr. Marsha Drennon, SFCC president. “It's a win-win situation. Our students will learn the construction trade in a hands-on environment and help restore a part of Missouri's rich state park history.”

The Civilian Conservation Corps built Camp Pin Oak between 1934 and 1938, and the lodge served as the hub of the group camp activities for generations of youth groups. The dining lodge was considered one of the finest examples of CCC buildings in the state park system because of its rustic architecture and craftsmanship.

“It is very fitting that the new lodge be built by students who are gaining new skills and experience, just as many of the CCC workers did when they built the original lodge in the 1930s,” said DNR Director Sara Parker Pauley. Director Pauley said she expects the new lodge to continue to serve future generations of youth groups.

The new dining lodge will fit within the historical context of the CCC-era camp, while using modern energy-efficient building materials and amenities to serve the needs of today's group camp users. The new dining lodge will have indoor seating for 135 people, a bigger kitchen with modern appliances, and a new outdoor patio. Construction is expected to take approximately one year to complete. Funding for materials, equipment and training to rebuild the camp will come from a $1.5 million Community Development Block Grant authorized by the Department of Economic Development.

For more information about Missouri state parks and historic sites, visit mo.gov. 

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Grand Glaize Beach at Lake of the Ozarks State Park reopens

Image by km6xo via Flickr

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, JULY 27, 2011 – Visitors to Lake of the Ozarks State Park’s Grand Glaize Beach can once again jump into the water, beat the summer heat and have fun at the lake this weekend following the latest water sample results. 

            “The public is becoming very familiar with our website and the beach status information posted on the web,” said Bill Bryan, director of Missouri State Parks, a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.  “So, it was no surprise that when our park staff arrived to reopen the Grand Glaize beach they were met by 20 swimmers who had already checked the website and were ready to go swimming.”

            The Grand Glaize Beach reopened today after water samples taken Monday showed bacteria levels well below the department’s acceptable levels for state park beaches. 

            The water at all designated beaches in the state park system is sampled weekly during the recreational season by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to determine suitability for swimming. Water quality can be determined to be unsuitable for swimming based on either the single sample taken earlier in the week, or by the geometric mean, which is a mathematical value that takes into consideration results from the current week plus the results taken during the previous weeks.
            The sample test results indicate a snap shot of the water quality taken at the beaches at a specific time; however, a single sample does not provide an overall sense of the water quality in the lake where the beach is located. Water samples are taken to check for E. coli, a common indicator species for bacteria.
            Information about current status of beaches at other parks is available on the website at mostateparks.com. Signs indicating the status of the beaches are posted at the beaches as well.
            Beaches and other facilities at state parks may be unavailable for reasons unrelated to bacteria, such as the beach at Lewis and Clark State Park, which remains closed due to flooding. Missouri State Parks maintains a list of alerts and advisories at mostateparks.com.
            Missouri's state parks and historic sites offer something to suit everyone's taste - outdoor adventure, great scenery and a bit of history. With Missouri’s 85 state parks and historic sites, the possibilities are boundless.
            For more information about Missouri state parks and historic sites and swimming beaches, visit mostateparks.com.

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Open house planned Aug. 6 for Lake of the Ozarks State Park

Image via WikipediaJEFFERSON CITY, MO., JULY 22, 2011 --  Lake of the Ozarks State Park near Kaiser will host an open house to seek public input on Saturday, Aug. 6.  The open house will be held from 7 to 8:15 p.m. in the shelter house located off Hwy. 134 just past the equestrian riding stables and the public is invited to attend. 
 

            The agenda will include recent accomplishments, including the State Parks Youth Corps projects and the new equestrian concession, plus future plans for the park.  Visitors will be invited to share comments on the park’s goals and objectives.

            The open house is part of an ongoing effort to ensure citizens have input on facilities and services offered in state parks and historic sites.

            Lake of the Ozarks State Park is located in Miller and Camden counties.  People requiring special services or accommodations to attend the meeting can make arrangements by calling the park directly at 573-648-2696 or by calling the Department of Natural Resources toll free at 800-334-6946 (voice) or 800-379-2419 (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf).  For information about state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com.

Grand Glaize Beach reopens after second week of low bacteria levels

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JEFFERSON CITY, MO, JULY 13, 2011 – Grand Glaize Beach at Lake of the Ozarks State Park reopened today after water samples taken Monday showed continued bacteria levels well below the department’s acceptable levels for state park beaches.
            The beach, also known as Public Beach #2, reopened after bacteria levels were found to be significantly below the department’s standard for swimming beaches for the second consecutive week. These results helped to bring down the overall geometric mean for bacteria to within the department’s standard for state park beaches.

            Missouri State Parks officials closed the beach at Trail of Tears State Park today after water samples taken Monday showed bacteria levels in excess of the department’s standard.   
            The water at all designated beaches in the state park system is sampled weekly during the recreational season by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to determine suitability for swimming. Water quality can be determined to be unsuitable for swimming based on either the single sample taken earlier in the week, or by the geometric mean, which is a mathematical value that takes into consideration results from the current week plus the results taken during the previous weeks.
            The sample test results indicate a snap shot of the water quality taken at the beaches at a specific time; however, a single sample does not provide an overall sense of the water quality in the lake where the beach is located. Water samples are taken to check for E. coli, a common indicator species for bacteria.
            Higher bacteria levels are often associated with heavy rains that result in runoff from adjacent lands. However, there are a number of possibilities that can contribute to higher bacteria, and chances are no single source is the cause.
            Once tests indicate the bacteria levels are within the standard suitable for swimming, the beaches will reopen. Information about current status of beaches is available on the website at mostateparks.com. Signs indicating the status of the beaches are posted at the beaches as well.

            Beaches and other facilities at state parks may be unavailable for reasons unrelated to bacteria. Such as Lewis and Clark State Park, including its beach, is closed because of high water. Missouri State Parks maintains a list of alerts and advisories at mostateparks.com.
            Missouri's state parks and historic sites offer something to suit everyone's taste - outdoor adventure, great scenery and a bit of history. With Missouri’s 85 state parks and historic sites, the possibilities are boundless.
            For more information about Missouri state parks and historic sites and swimming beaches, visit mostateparks.com.