Dec 8, 2017 2 min read

West Middletown officials recently notified Washington County that the borough is unable to preserve a log home at the Route 844 entrance to Cross Creek park, so the county plans to seek bids to demolish it.

The commissioners voted Thursday to seek bids for salvaging the building’s logs and foundation while demolishing the remainder.

The log home on Thompson Hill had been covered with siding, and both the county and the borough determined it was not feasible to restore the structure.

Removing a porch that lacked historic value might cause the raccoon-infested log home to collapse, said Lisa Cessna, executive director of the Washington County Planning Commission, which oversees county parks.

“We’ve just got to get it down,” she continued. “It looked like it was ready to fall over.”

Logs and the foundation’s cut stone will be used in some fashion in the park, but whether that will be in an entryway sign, a playground structure, a small shelter or something else hasn’t been decided.

The county purchased the tax-delinquent East Main Street property at a judicial sale in 2015.

Proceeds from park oil and natural gas wells will be used for the tear-down and salvage.

That’s just one of the projects on tap for county parks over the next 12 months.

At their Thursday meeting, the county commissioners also approved the purchase of five pre-fabricated restroom buildings to be placed at Mingo Creek, Cross Creek and Ten Mile Creek county parks at a cost of $210,700, also from well proceeds.

The purchase from CXT Concrete Buildings was part of a state program that does not require bidding.

Cessna said she also is close to seeking bids for a project known as “Discovery Cove” on the Route 50 side of the park, which would feature a boardwalk and fishing pier giving lakeside access to those who have no watercraft. The county also plans a walking trail in the vicinity.

Park-goers also will see additional shelters on the Thompson Hill side of Cross Creek park and the replacement of the round Shelter No. 10 near the Mingo observatory. A fireplace could be added to the shelter in Mingo.

“In the next year, there’s going to be a lot going on,” Cessna said.