LOCK HAVEN — A brief discussion at a recent Lock Haven City Council meeting about the former caretaker’s home at Zindel Park in McElhattan has led to some public outcry.

During its lone February meeting, council heard from City Manager Gregory Wilson regarding the building and recent damage it took.

The topic came to light when Wilson told council city staff were set to meet with the Lumber Heritage Region regarding upgrades to Zindel Park.

Zindel Park, which offers a variety of trails within the watershed surrounding Keller Dam, is part of assets owned by the Lock Haven City Authority — a board of individuals made up of city residents. The city provides insurance for the property through an agreement with the authority.

According to Wilson, the city is a member of the PennPRIME Insurance Trust.

“That trust ensures that regular and independent appraisals are done for all the city’s insured property,” Wilson said. “The most recent to be performed was 2023 to update from the 2019 appraisal.”

At council’s meeting, Wilson said the Lumber Heritage Region was interested in conducting a feasibility study to create a trail head within the park.

Wilson said the potential location for a trailhead — which would include a restroom facility — would likely be at the former caretaker’s house.

Based on the 2023 appraisal conducted by PennPRIME, the uninhabited dwelling at Zindel had an estimated value of $50,000.

In April 2024 following a storm, another appraisal was done to assess the damages and receive an insurance claim.

Wilson told council the city was still “going back and forth” with the insurance company. He noted this may be due to the situation not being an emergency.

“But the house sustained damage greater than its value. Right now we’re trying to get out the most money we can from the insurance company so it’s enough to actually take down the structure,” Wilson told council.

Wilson said the repairs that are necessary to the roof is estimated to cost $103,000.

“Because the existing roof on the structure is a prefabricated metal panel roof system from about 1929, it is a difficult item to repair,” Wilson recently told The Express.

He noted there are other “significant structural issues because of long-term lack of human occupancy.”

“There are bears, porcupines and a variety of other animals that call the structure home, and the city regularly goes to board up the structure to keep them out,” he continued. “However, they have been persistently destructive over the past 40-plus years.”

Due to the issues with the aged building, along with requests from frequent visitors of the park, Wilson said staff chose to work with Lumber Heritage Region.

“The city has been working with the Lumber Heritage Region in order to gain their support in funding for a feasibility study to revitalize what can be restored in Zindel Park, and to build other facilities that could be beneficial for the public that regularly uses the area for hiking and fishing,” he said.

Wilson said regular users of Zindel Park have made requests for public restrooms, parking closer to the entrance to the park, restoration of fountains, clearing debris from the pool behind the falls and an outdoor/indoor venue that could serve as a trail head.

“Obviously, there’s always a laundry list of great ideas, and a feasibility study helps to narrow the scope of what can be accomplished with grant funding and local financial support to restore what can be at the site that has long been a gem in the woods,” he said.

During council’s meeting, Wilson noted the city’s intention to keep the existing, unique stonework that is part of the former caretaker’s home.

“If we could keep part of the original structure that would be fantastic,” he told council.

This sentiment is something he reaffirmed to The Express.

“At this point, while it appears that the existing abandoned dwelling may not be able to be salvaged, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a push to make improvements to the park area for the benefit of the public that uses and will hopefully encourage new users to try their hand at what the Zindel area has to offer in outdoor recreation,” he said.

Many have spoken out against the potential changes to the park and possible removal of the caretaker’s home.

A Change.org petition, created by Reagan McCoy, has already amassed over 400 signatures.

“Zindel Park has been a center for community recreation since the early 1930s. Once a thriving park with water fountains, fish exhibits, monuments made from volcanic rock and a beautiful caretaker’s house, neglect from the City of Lock Haven has ultimately led to the decline of these important landmarks,” McCoy wrote on the petition. “Zindel Park is perhaps the only gem in an otherwise bleak and depressed town.”

McCoy noted hundreds still flock to the park to enjoy it.

“In fact, it is pretty common to see senior pictures being taken here, or even a wedding,” he wrote.

McCoy called upon members of the community to sign the petition and reach out to council members to implore they keep the caretaker’s house.

A variety of signers offered their own commentary regarding the potential change.

“Been going here since I was a little girl and my uncle got married there,” one signer wrote. “It’s a beautiful place and a piece of history. I don’t want to see it demolished.”

Another requested the city work to preserve the historic aspects of the park.

“I have enjoyed this landmark building and the scene it helps set in Zindel Park for many, many years,” she wrote. “It would be a travesty to destroy this piece of history. Please preserve this landmark and do what is necessary to preserve it for future generations.”

No action was taken and council did not comment further on the issue during its initial discussion in February.