HOWARD (NBC 26) — Duck Creek Quarry Park in Howard will be open for swimming starting May 23.
- Today (May 12) is the first day people can pick up wristbands to swim at the beach at the park this summer
- A village officials says on social media that the bird flu the park was dealing with in December and January is no longer a concern
- Click here to access the online order form for swimming wristbands
- Wristbands can only be picked up at the Howard Public Works department at 1336 Cornell Road, in person. Hours are 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Fridays
- Beach swimming access is free for Howard residents, but costs money for non-residents — read on to see the cost
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story, with additional details added for web)
A summer favorite is about to return — Karl Winter visited Duck Creek Quarry in Howard to find people enjoying the park prior to the opening of the beach there.
Watch Karl Winter's full story here:
We only have a few more weeks until the zip-ties on the "Swim Beach Closed" signs are cut off, and the beach opens for the season. Monday is the first day you can pick up the wristbands that you need to be allowed to swim here.
With winter weather in the rear-view mirror ...
"It's a long time coming," Tom Brodhagen said.
The sunshine at the quarry-turned-lake ...
"It's a beautiful day," Teresa Mihalski said. "We're happy to be here."
Is a welcome feeling for people, flora, and fauna — like Brodhagen and his golden retriever, Penny.
It's Penny's first time swimming at the quarry, and she's enjoying chasing her tennis ball in the water.
"This is something like you wouldn't expect," Brodhagen said. "You got the beach for people to go swimming, you can play with your dog here. There's always somebody fishing off of the dock there. There's a little bit of something for everybody."
The swim beach will open Memorial Day weekend, and Mihalski says she and her two toddlers will be taking full advantage.
"My kids like going to the water, and seeing the geese and the ducks, and we just have a blast out here," she said.
Howard residents like Mihalski can get up five swimming wristbands for free.
Non-Howard residents can also get a max of five, but they have to pay $25 for two or $50 dollars for five.
The wristbands are good for the entire summer.
As for the bird flu the quarry was dealing with in December, a Howard animal control officer says on social media that it's under control.
Animal control officer Matt Atkinson wrote the following on Facebook:
[The bird flu] will never go away but in 1 year the amount of infected birds was cut in half through regular patrols for sick birds as well as measures to keep them out of that side of the quarry...So far we have been successful and even at its peak, testing by local and federal labs found no trace of the virus in the water.
To get your swimming wristbands, you need to fill out an order form online, and then you'll have to pick it up in person at the Howard Public Works department at 1336 Cornell Road.
