MENTOR, Ohio — One member of the Mentor Lagoons Yacht Club tells News 5 he’s appreciative of the work being done to preserve this eroding area.
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But he says more is still needed.
“The break wall was needed, and it really stopped that erosion, but obviously they’re only gone so far with it,” said Don Varanese, who’s a dock owner.
At Mentor’s Nature Preserve Shoreline, Don Varanese says you can see rocks piled on top of each other to stand as a line of defense against oncoming waves.
“Before the rocks were up, we would see the water come through, especially when the wind was blowing heavy from the North,” said Varanese.
While these protective guards are in place, Varanese and City Manager Kenneth Filipiak say you’ll find some areas of the shoreline that are still exposed, which the city hopes to address.
“Right now, the city is under contract to create a master plan for our shoreline,” said Mentor City Manager, Kenneth J. Filipiak.
News 5 has been following through on the impact of erosion at Mentor Lagoon since at least 2019, when Lake Erie lashed at the Nature Preserve’s Shoreline and Marina.
Now, in 2023, we’re learning from Filipiak that erosion is causing Mentor to lose up to eight to 10 feet of shoreline per year.
The city wants to prevent more damage from happening, but first, Filipiak says the community’s input is needed.
“We want to be able to perhaps integrate a recreational component to that and so we’re asking our public and those that use the facility to weigh in,” said Filipiak.
So far, Mentor has received an overwhelming number of responses.
Filipiak says there’s still time for you to submit yours by finding a form on the city’s website.
This way he says the quality of life for people like Don Varanese can be saved.
“This whole shore is so nice, but the break wall has been a God send for us. No view but we don’t have to worry about losing our roads, our docks and our life down here,” said Varanese.
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