DeWitt Recreation Area

Mercy medics are responding to DeWitt Recreation Area on Cedar Street in the city for the report of a child with a fish hook accidentally caught in his/her mouth.

All summer, we've watched the water level drop at the lakes off Cedar Street, including DeWitt Recreation Area, where a land bridge that probably hasn't been seen since the 1970s re-emerged as WNY has suffered through a rare drought.

Yesterday, County Highway Superintendent Tim Hens told county legislators that the level has been dropping about a third of a foot every two weeks, but this afternoon we learned that trend may be reversing.

Jim Ficarella, superintendent of water & wastewater for the City of Batavia, said he took a new measurement of the aquifer this morning and found it has risen more than a third since his previous measurement.

The aquifer not only supplies some of the city's water, it also replenishes the lakes.

The aquifer level and the lake levels have dropped pretty much in unison, Ficarella said, but there may be a lag in replenishing the lakes as the aquifer comes back.

Of course, it will take more rain, and in the winter, more snow, for the levels to recover to pre-drought levels.

Meanwhile, the city and county have an ample water supply from the Monroe County Water Authority.

Highlights from the department review presented yesterday by Tim Hens, county highway superintendent, to the Legislature's Public Service Committee:

• When Hens started in 1998, County Highway had 45 employees. Now there are 27 doing more work. "We're definitely way more efficient," Hens said. "Still, we could use another body or two."
• The county received no federal aid this past year for bridge and culvert replacement and repair, Hens said. He said the county continues to fall behind on maintenance needs. There were five culverts replaced in 2016. "We're trying to chase down more grants," he said. 
• Shannon Morley, Genesee County conservation education programs coordinator, is doing a great job of creating programs that get people out to the park, Hens said. A recent meteor shower event attracted 90 people out to Genesee County Park & Forest. About 80 percent of her salary is paid for by two grants totaling $36,000.
• The sewer and water connections for the new bathrooms at DeWitt Recreation Area are completed. Now the county is waiting on National Grid to complete electrical hookups and then the interior can be completed. Ideally, the work will be done by winter, because ideally, it will be a good winter for ice skating and the county can install and get up and running with the ice-skating rink donated by the Town of Oakfield. Hens said several people have stepped forward and volunteered to help run and maintain the rink, including Cedar Street Sales and Rentals, which has offered to "sort of adopt" the rink. There's just some liability issues to work out, Hens said. 
• Bids will go out soon for stone restoration work at the County Jail/Genesee Justice building. 
• The airport continues to be cash-flow positive for the county, Hens said. Jet fuel sales continue to rise, in part because the county keeps its prices lower than competitors. The strong cash flow will help the county more quickly pay down the bond debt for the new terminal and hangar. Next up for construction work at the Genesee County Airport is demolition of the old terminal building. Grants have already been secured for that project. Plans are in the works for two more 10-bay hangars. Each of those should generate about $30,000 a month in lease payments. The county has about $600,000 in state grants for the $900,000 project.

UPDATED 8:50 a.m.

The 25-year-old man from South Korea whose body was found in the lake at DeWitt Recreation Area on Labor Day went by the name locally of Kevin.

His maiden name was Kim.

According to Det. Todd Crossett, Kyeongseop Woodhams lived in Genesee County and his only family in the United States was his husband. He has not been identified.

His husband reported him as missing to the State Police sometime Saturday, according to Det. Todd Crossett.

The cause of death has not been determined. Investigators are waiting on the results of toxicology tests, which could take a couple of months.

Woodhams was identified first by a person at the scene when his body was found shortly before 9 a.m., Sept. 5. His identity was confirmed with his visa, according to Crossett.

There were items found at the scene, including fishing gear, but Crossett did not specify what other items might have been found. (CORRECTION: We missed the word "not" in the e-mail message from Crossett. We apologize for the error).

Crossett said Woodhams was last seen late Friday night or early Saturday morning.

Anybody with information that may assist in the investigation is asked to contact Crossett at (585) 345-6353.

The young man whose body was found on Labor Day in the lake at DeWitt Recreation Area has been identified by police as 25-year-old Kyeongseop Woodhams.

Woodhams is originally from South Korea and notification of the next of kin required the assistance of Sen. Charles Schumer's office.

The cause of death has not yet been determined and investigators are awaiting results from toxicology tests to see if that provides any clues.

There were no signs of trauma.

Investigators are asking that anybody who may have seen Woodhams between Sept. 3 and Sept. 5 to contact Det. Todd Crossett at (585) 345-6353.

The park opened at 6 a.m. on Labor Day and a fisherman discovered Woodham's body at 8:54 a.m. and immediately called police.

The body was partially submerged. 

A scuba team searched the area where the body was found, in the southeast corner of the lake, behind the land bridge created by historically low water levels, but investigators have not revealed if any items of interest were located.

No further information has been released about Woodhams.

Investigators are awaiting the results of toxicology tests to help determine the cause of death of a man whose body was found in the lake at DeWitt Recreation Area on Labor Day.

The victim's name has not been released because authorities are having a hard time getting in touch with appropriate family members for the purpose of notification.

Det. Todd Crossett said he expects notification to happen today and the identity of the victim to be released Monday.

"It should be clear when the information is released why this is taking so long," Crossett said.

The autopsy has been completed, but that procedure did not lead to a determination of the cause of death, Crossett said.

Asked if the extensive search of the area conducted after the body was found turned up anything related to the case, Crossett said he couldn't comment on that until information was released on Monday.

Crossett said he wasn't on scene Labor Day, so he doesn't know if identification was found on the victim, but he said somebody who saw the body did recognize him.

In past fatalities, it has taken a couple of months for toxicology reports to come back from the crime labs.

Press release:

The City of Batavia Police Department has been investigating the discovery of a deceased male in the sand wash at DeWitt park. The City of Batavia Police Department is issuing a clarification in the timeline of the originally reported events.

The timeline is as follows:

• 08:54HRS: Fisherman discovers deceased male, contacts Genesee County Dispatch Center 09:03HRS: Officers arrive on scene
• 10:30HRS: Genesee County Coroner Douglas pronounces time of death
• 11:13HRS: City of Batavia Fire Department and Batavia Police Department Detectives perform water recovery

Cause of death is still under investigation. The Batavia Police Department will not be releasing the identification of the deceased male until the next of kin has been notified. The Batavia Police Department will update the media with any new information as it becomes available. 

It likely will be days before we know how a man whose body was found partially submerged in the lake at DeWitt Recreation Area in Batavia died.

A fisherman first noticed the body some time after 6 a.m., which is when the Cedar Street park opened, and he notified a member of the park maintenance staff.

Batavia PD was notified at 8:54 a.m.

Officer Marc Lawrence, who briefed media earlier this afternoon at DeWitt, said he couldn't speculate on why there was a delay between the body being spotted and police being contacted.

Lawrence said there is no information available indicating the age or race of the deceased.

The body was found at the far end of the lake from the main entrance, in the northeast corner, on the other side of the land bridge that has been exposed by the drought.

As of early this afternoon, a scuba-diving team was still searching the lake for any potential evidence that might be connected to the incident.

At this time, the investigation is being handled as a criminal investigation, pending new information that might indicate otherwise.

There have been two recent missing person reports in the area, but there's no information at this time connecting those reports to this incident, Lawrence said.

Press release:

Genesee County Department of Parks, Recreation & Forestry will be closing the DeWitt Recreation Area (DeWitt Park) Main Gate all day on Monday, July 11, 2016 and Tuesday, July 12, due to major construction within the park. Pavilion reservations will not be taken for either of the two days.

The main roadway inside the park will not be accessible due to sewer and waterline installations on those days. The walking track in the center of the lawn area will not be available either. Construction vehicles will only be allowed access through the main gate.

The South Entrance parking lot will be available for vehicles to park. Pedestrian access from the South parking lot will be limited to various areas within the park throughout the week due to the construction. The playground will still be accessible throughout the entire construction period.

Construction is anticipated to last the entire week.

For further information, please contact the Parks office at (585) 344-8508 or the Parks Supervisor at posborn@co.genesee.ny.us

Bell Barone (pictured below) was among the dozens of kids who turned out today for the annual Fishing Derby at DeWitt Recreation Area sponsored by the Oakfield-Alabama Lions Club.

Information and photos submitted by Glenn Adams.

Yesterday morning, City fire along with a group of volunteers from other departments in the county, participated in water rescue training at DeWitt Recreation Area in Batavia.

The boat and motor and gear were purchased with a grant from Homeland Security.

The first two shots include Ryan Hendershott of the Bethany department and DJ Pollock.

CORRECTION: Only members of City fire participated. Hendershott is a city firefighter and a Bethany volunteer.

As part of an Earth Day observance, volunteers came out to the DeWitt Recreation Area in Batavia to help with spring cleanup.

The walk around the park was about more than just trash pickup. It included a guided nature walk led by Amy Jessmer, from Albion, with a degree in environmental science from SUNY Brockport, where she is currently working on her master's degree. Jessmer spoke about native and non-native species and the environmental balance of the lake and surrounding habitat.

The water level of DeWitt is exceptionally low. George Squires, retired from the county's soil and water department, said he doesn't believe he's seen it this low since the 1980s.

Ongoing -- 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. --  Special Guests, “The Incredible Journey" game and Earth-Friendly Crafts!

Next winter, you might be able to play outdoor hockey, or just ice skate, at the Dewitt Recreation Area on Cedar Street in Batavia.

The plan for the county park has always included the idea of installing an outdoor ice rink at the park, but the construction has never been funded.

At yesterday's Public Service Committee meeting of the County Legislature, Highway Superintended Tim Hens said the Oakfield-Alabama Central School District is ready to donate an outdoor ice rink to the county.

The district purchased the rink some years ago with grant money, and though it proved popular when put into use, hasn't been used in recent years and the district doesn't plan to put it to use in the future.

The rink comes with 50 pairs of ice skates.

The committee agreed by consensus to allow Hens to accept the donation on behalf of the county.

The rink will likely be installed in the depression area in the middle of the walking path at the front of the park, which is the area originally designed to eventually contain a rink.

The main gates are still locked, but on a day like today, after a winter like we had, a lot of people couldn't wait to spend some time in DeWitt Recreation Area.

Meanwhile, the warmer temperature is melting snow; some rain is expected this evening, so a flood watch is in effect from tonight through Saturday afternoon.

Also, after today, expect more freezing weather for a few days.

A reader sent in this photo Friday (and I've not had time to post it until now) of the sun over the lake at DeWitt Recreational Area when it was 89 degrees locally.  

Under supervision of instructor Marty Bryant, students in the Iroquois Job Corps program are setting brick for new bathrooms near Pavilion #1 at the DeWitt Recreation Area.

The foundation was poured by students a few weeks ago and once the students in the masonry program complete the brick walls, carpentry students will frame the doors and install the roof.

The 20-week course helps provide students with a trade that will lead to eventual employment, Bryant said. 

"Something like this is good for everybody," he said.

Real-world projects such as this, which can only be nonprofit for the Job Corps to take on, are hard to come by, Bryant said, but they're invaluable.  

Genesee County Parks Supervisor Paul Osborn said the project is part of the overall master plan for DeWitt and is funded through a capital project budget item approved by the county Legislature in 2013. 

County staff will install electric, water and sewer.

Students on site yesterday were Kyle Porter, from Brooklyn, William Ortiz, Camden, N.J., Michel'le Blue, Utica, Richard Orogeroy, New York, and Frank Hatchet, Williamsborough, N.J.

Genesee County Emergency Management Services was conducting water pump operations training for new recruits this afternoon at DeWitt Recreation Area, with assistance from Le Roy fire and Byron fire departments.

The goal while I was there was to get the flow up to 1,500 gallons per minute. Town of Batavia's Ladder 25 is capable of flowing 2,000 gallons a minute.

If you want to do fun stuff like this, become a volunteer firefighter in your community. Visit Ready Genesee for more information.

Joshua von Kramer is all business as he casts his line into the pond at DeWitt Recreation Area today during a youth fishing tournament sponsored by the Batavia Oakfield Lions Club. Fishing with him are Nicole and Eric von Kramer.

Reice Woodward reels in a catch.

Reice Woodward

Ed Staniszewski with the boys and girls derby grand prizes.Other prizes on the table.

Joey Staniszewski

Blake Bradt gets her catch measured by Joe Bradt.

The tournament was dedicated to the memory of Kendra Haacke, who died this Spring at age 31. Above, members of the Haacke family, Melissa, Chris, Ken, Emma, Mary Ann and Lily.

County parks workers were at Dewitt Recreation Area this morning getting the lake ready for another spring, summer and fall of fishing and recreating. The lake was stocked with 500 2-year-old brown trout and the piers were put into place. Parks Director Paul Osborn said he was surprised to find the water temperature this morning is 54 degrees. Normally it's in the 30s on stocking day. The lake had a thick and long-lasting ice cover this year. The water level is also higher than it's been in recent years.

Scott and 6-year-old Trenton Shuler.

Michael Atkinson, in the red, and Marcus Palvino.

UPDATE: Photo of the stocking operation from this morning provided by Paul Osborn.