Recreational Activities Start Early At The Lakes
April 9, 2020 at 11:34 p.m.
Recreational Activities Start Early At The Lakes
By Amanda Bridgman-
An eye-popping realization of that comes from Syracuse Town Manager Mike Noe, who said the town of 3,000 can spike to 25,000 by mid-July.
Syracuse is a popular spot for people to live who want to stay and play on Lake Wawasee – the largest natural lake in Indiana – that offers boat loads of activities, shopping and dining options. Million dollar homes, high-end condominiums and well-manicured cottages are a common sight around the lake. There is a grocery store and a drugstore, yet the nearest hospital is in Warsaw.
The influx of summer visitors has become a concern to year-round residents during the COVID-19 health emergency. Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb declared a public health emergency on March 6 and renewed that emergency order on April 5 for another 30 days. The bars and restaurants are closed to dine-in patrons and a stay-at-home order has been in place for Hoosiers since March 23. As of Thursday morning according to the Indiana State Department of Health, 6,351 people have the coronavirus and 245 have died. Kosciusko County had its first COVID-19-related death this week.
It’s been reported that people are fleeing urban areas with high infection rates and heading to more rural, enjoyable areas – like their second home at the lake. With schools closed for the year and many people working from home, the internet is all they need. And, with no federal domestic travel restrictions in place, there is no way to enforce the traveling.
The Times-Union Tuesday asked Holcomb and Indiana Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box if they have any concerns about people who travel from out of state back to their lake homes in Indiana and what impact that might have on the health of the local community.
“If you’re traveling to get home to Indiana, we welcome you, we’ll help you,” Holcomb said. “But you shouldn’t be traveling across state lines. You shouldn’t be coming to take in one of our state parks. If we get to the point where we need to take another step, we will.”
Holcomb said for the time being, it’s really up to mayors and town managers and the local governments to decide how to handle out of state visitors and that the state will support those local authorities.
In Syracuse, Noe said he’s received some emails and phone calls from residents who are concerned about an influx of people who don’t live here year-round.
“I had an email from a person who was worried about whether we had enough food and about the hospitals and whether I thought if what they’re doing up in Steuben County where if they come up, they ought to self quarantine for 14 days, because you know, they could have something and most of them live in a city, whether it’s Indianapolis or Chicago,” Noe said. “I am not worried about it. I’ve noticed that a lot this year, that people are here a lot earlier and just staying. But I say, you know, they own this property and it’s still a free country, and we can’t stop them. There’s no law, and I tell them, fortunately, it is still a free country.”
Dan Harstine, an Integrity Real Estate agent in Syracuse, said his office stopped handling cottage rentals a decade ago and everything is mostly rented out through Airbnb. As of Thursday, 87 homes in the Syracuse and North Webster area were immediately available for rent.
Before the health emergency, this was obviously a welcome boon to the small-town economy and local shop owners. Tourists and second-home owners provide revenue the towns and businesses count on throughout the year.
The recreational boating industry is a big part of that economy. So, is that still alright, during the social distancing and stay-at-home order, to enjoy the lakes?
According to Box, it is.
“I have no issues with regards to lakes,” she said. “What I would take issue with is everybody gathered at the pier. I think if they launch their boat, I don’t see a big issue with it.”
Holcomb had a more somber response to the boating topic and reiterated it will be up to local authorities to break up people congregating at the clubhouse or on a dock.
“I’m telling you, these next two weeks are critical. We just reported 34 fatalities today,” Holcomb said on Tuesday. “Imagine if you make a list of your 34 best friends, and then imagine putting a line through them. That’s how serious this is. This is not a time for partying, it’ a time to hunker down.”
Dave Biesemeyer has been running the Barbee Marina in North Webster since 1975 and said the boating season really kicks off Memorial Day weekend.
“Right now we should be going full tilt. We were shut down for two weeks and yesterday (Tuesday) was our first day back and we’re struggling trying to figure out what’s going on. People aren’t adhering to this stay at home crap, and I’m getting calls from people who actually don’t know what’s going on. To tell you the truth, they just want their boat in the water,” Biesemeyer said. “People from down south are coming up from the hot bed areas of other states and are coming up here to spend their time in our cottages. We’re seeing that right now.”
When asked if that’s a concern to him, Biesemeyer said, “Well it sure the hell is. People from Chicago are coming and spending their time in the cottages so they can get out on the water. I gotta put the boat in the water. I gotta stay alive.”
He said he and his crew are putting boats in the water as long as they don’t have any contact with another person.
“It’s making it difficult on us,” Biesemeyer said. “We don’t have an area that we can cordon off, we’re just right out in the open, and it would be nice if people could stay home for a little bit longer, but nope, as soon as the weather turned warmer, that’s not happening. They just need to stay in their area for a little while.”
John Stump has been one of the owners of Main Channel Marina in Syracuse since the late 1970s. He said their showrooms are closed to the public and all boat sales are done by virtual tours and appointment only. The service department is open and they’re also starting to get requests to get boats in the water earlier than usual.
“That’s happening all over the state in different touristy recreational areas, but I don’t think there’s any way to stop it,” Stump said. “Obviously, it’s a concern for us because people are possibly bringing the virus from another area into our area, which is not what anybody wants, and you know, it’s the same thing. I own a property down in southern Indiana, and if I want to go down there, I’ll go down there, but you just have to be very careful if you come into contact with anybody.”
Noe said Syracuse may need to readjust their budgets next year because of some of the lack of revenue expected this year.
“It will hurt for sure,” Noe said. “You got little boutiques and restaurants and all that stuff, so it’s definitely hurting the economy here.”
An eye-popping realization of that comes from Syracuse Town Manager Mike Noe, who said the town of 3,000 can spike to 25,000 by mid-July.
Syracuse is a popular spot for people to live who want to stay and play on Lake Wawasee – the largest natural lake in Indiana – that offers boat loads of activities, shopping and dining options. Million dollar homes, high-end condominiums and well-manicured cottages are a common sight around the lake. There is a grocery store and a drugstore, yet the nearest hospital is in Warsaw.
The influx of summer visitors has become a concern to year-round residents during the COVID-19 health emergency. Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb declared a public health emergency on March 6 and renewed that emergency order on April 5 for another 30 days. The bars and restaurants are closed to dine-in patrons and a stay-at-home order has been in place for Hoosiers since March 23. As of Thursday morning according to the Indiana State Department of Health, 6,351 people have the coronavirus and 245 have died. Kosciusko County had its first COVID-19-related death this week.
It’s been reported that people are fleeing urban areas with high infection rates and heading to more rural, enjoyable areas – like their second home at the lake. With schools closed for the year and many people working from home, the internet is all they need. And, with no federal domestic travel restrictions in place, there is no way to enforce the traveling.
The Times-Union Tuesday asked Holcomb and Indiana Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box if they have any concerns about people who travel from out of state back to their lake homes in Indiana and what impact that might have on the health of the local community.
“If you’re traveling to get home to Indiana, we welcome you, we’ll help you,” Holcomb said. “But you shouldn’t be traveling across state lines. You shouldn’t be coming to take in one of our state parks. If we get to the point where we need to take another step, we will.”
Holcomb said for the time being, it’s really up to mayors and town managers and the local governments to decide how to handle out of state visitors and that the state will support those local authorities.
In Syracuse, Noe said he’s received some emails and phone calls from residents who are concerned about an influx of people who don’t live here year-round.
“I had an email from a person who was worried about whether we had enough food and about the hospitals and whether I thought if what they’re doing up in Steuben County where if they come up, they ought to self quarantine for 14 days, because you know, they could have something and most of them live in a city, whether it’s Indianapolis or Chicago,” Noe said. “I am not worried about it. I’ve noticed that a lot this year, that people are here a lot earlier and just staying. But I say, you know, they own this property and it’s still a free country, and we can’t stop them. There’s no law, and I tell them, fortunately, it is still a free country.”
Dan Harstine, an Integrity Real Estate agent in Syracuse, said his office stopped handling cottage rentals a decade ago and everything is mostly rented out through Airbnb. As of Thursday, 87 homes in the Syracuse and North Webster area were immediately available for rent.
Before the health emergency, this was obviously a welcome boon to the small-town economy and local shop owners. Tourists and second-home owners provide revenue the towns and businesses count on throughout the year.
The recreational boating industry is a big part of that economy. So, is that still alright, during the social distancing and stay-at-home order, to enjoy the lakes?
According to Box, it is.
“I have no issues with regards to lakes,” she said. “What I would take issue with is everybody gathered at the pier. I think if they launch their boat, I don’t see a big issue with it.”
Holcomb had a more somber response to the boating topic and reiterated it will be up to local authorities to break up people congregating at the clubhouse or on a dock.
“I’m telling you, these next two weeks are critical. We just reported 34 fatalities today,” Holcomb said on Tuesday. “Imagine if you make a list of your 34 best friends, and then imagine putting a line through them. That’s how serious this is. This is not a time for partying, it’ a time to hunker down.”
Dave Biesemeyer has been running the Barbee Marina in North Webster since 1975 and said the boating season really kicks off Memorial Day weekend.
“Right now we should be going full tilt. We were shut down for two weeks and yesterday (Tuesday) was our first day back and we’re struggling trying to figure out what’s going on. People aren’t adhering to this stay at home crap, and I’m getting calls from people who actually don’t know what’s going on. To tell you the truth, they just want their boat in the water,” Biesemeyer said. “People from down south are coming up from the hot bed areas of other states and are coming up here to spend their time in our cottages. We’re seeing that right now.”
When asked if that’s a concern to him, Biesemeyer said, “Well it sure the hell is. People from Chicago are coming and spending their time in the cottages so they can get out on the water. I gotta put the boat in the water. I gotta stay alive.”
He said he and his crew are putting boats in the water as long as they don’t have any contact with another person.
“It’s making it difficult on us,” Biesemeyer said. “We don’t have an area that we can cordon off, we’re just right out in the open, and it would be nice if people could stay home for a little bit longer, but nope, as soon as the weather turned warmer, that’s not happening. They just need to stay in their area for a little while.”
John Stump has been one of the owners of Main Channel Marina in Syracuse since the late 1970s. He said their showrooms are closed to the public and all boat sales are done by virtual tours and appointment only. The service department is open and they’re also starting to get requests to get boats in the water earlier than usual.
“That’s happening all over the state in different touristy recreational areas, but I don’t think there’s any way to stop it,” Stump said. “Obviously, it’s a concern for us because people are possibly bringing the virus from another area into our area, which is not what anybody wants, and you know, it’s the same thing. I own a property down in southern Indiana, and if I want to go down there, I’ll go down there, but you just have to be very careful if you come into contact with anybody.”
Noe said Syracuse may need to readjust their budgets next year because of some of the lack of revenue expected this year.
“It will hurt for sure,” Noe said. “You got little boutiques and restaurants and all that stuff, so it’s definitely hurting the economy here.”
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