Ligonier Township will seek input on next steps for Ligonier Beach

Some people around historic Ligonier Beach almost seem resigned to the fact that they may never swim at the shuttered resort again, but the site could be redeveloped for other recreational uses.

Ligonier Township will conduct a feasibility study that will including speaking to residents to gauge their level of desire for an updated pool at the site and to consider other suggestions for the land.

“Whether it’s a pool or a park, anything would be better than what it is today,” Ligonier Township Manager Michael Strelic said of the area, which was open for 90 years before it closed in 2017 and has since fallen into disrepair. “If it would make sense to have a multiple sport course down there, or a passive park with a walking path and a dog park, the options are pretty open right now.”

Some residents agree with Strelic’s statement and have their own ideas about future use of the site.

“I hope they make it a dog park,” said Vinnie Carnahan, employee of Getaway Cafe across from the former Ligonier Beach site on Route 30. “I’m a dog owner and I don’t live right in Ligonier, but I work out here every day.”

Despite looking forward to a new addition to the community, residents fondly recall memories they made at Ligonier Beach during the pool’s prime.

“I used to go there as a kid, and then I took my kids there,” said Jennifer Gernhardt, owner of Kingfisher Coffee House. “It would be nice if there were a pool there again, but I think it’d be really nice if they built an amphitheater there, maybe a little restaurant too. I think it should be something for the community to enjoy.”

Ligonier Beach was closed by private owners in 2017 and sold to the township in 2019. It has not been in use since. The former restaurant and bath house on the property are scheduled for demolition this month. Strelic said that even if the feasibility study results in a desire for a restaurant or bath house, neither buildin is structurally sound.

Another part of the study will determine if a community pool at the site, which is prone to flooding, would even be possible.

“The main goal of the study is to determine what’s feasible to put there,” Strelic said. “Part of the study will look at the land to determine if a pool can or will go there, or if it doesn’t make sense to have the pool there, then it will be removed from the site.”

Officials are planning to use a $50,000 Community Conservation Partnership Program Grant to conduct the study. Strelic said that they will likely apply for another grant when the results are analyzed and a plan of action is established.