PORTER TOWNSHIP -- Weeds taking over the water is not the scenic view people want to see when they look across a pond in Pike County, but it's what they now see when they look at Pecks Pond near Blooming Grove.
“I think it should be drained and I think it should be dredged. Of course, the dam has to be fixed and refilled. I mean it's a beautiful piece of land and they should take care of it like they do Promised Land,” said Janet Gaggero of Porter Township.
The project to drain Pecks Pond and fix the dam and is expected to cost $4.6 million and take at least two years. Work began right after Labor Day.
You can actually see Pecks Pond going down the drain. The water is free flowing into a creek so the dam can be fixed.
"It's hurting a lot of people. A lot of fishermen, people that come, I used to come and kayak here,” said Gaggero.
"I think it's great. It's been a long time coming," said Daniel Ochsenreither, Pickerel Inn Deli owner.
When Pecks Pond was in better shape, there were many businesses in the area, but some have since shut down.
Pickerel Inn Deli is still up and running.
Owners hope the restoration will bring it back to its former glory.
"I think if it gets cleaned up it will bring more people back, it will help us with fishing, getting more fishermen in here because they can't get out there with the boats and essentially all they are catching is weeds,” said Ochsenreither.
While work is being done, it’s possible one ice fishing season, maybe two will be lost.
But the plan is to refill the pond with water and fish once repair work is complete.
