SMASHING!

Strong winds topple tree that destroys pavilion

High winds Nov. 15 caused a tree to fall onto the picnic pavilion at South Lakeview Park in Lorain.

It appeared up to four picnic tables might be salvaged from the shelter, but city crews likely will have to take down what’s left, said city Public Property

Manager Lori Garcia.

No one was hurt in the incident, said Garcia and Ward 7 Councilman Cory Shawver, who first published a notice about the shelter using social media on Nov. 15.

“The pavilion, thank goodness, wasn’t rented and nobody was in the park,” Garcia said.

Shawver cautioned residents from going to see the damage that day due to continuing danger of additional falling branches or trees due to the strong wind gusts.

The National Weather Service said winds gusted up to 79 mph.

On Nov. 16, at least a few onlookers visited by foot or by car to see the damage.

“They’re going to have to knock it down, there’s no doubt about it,” said crew leader Greg Zeise.

Shawver said he intends to raise money for the pavilion so it could be replaced without spending tax dollars.

The shelter did get used a lot, especially by families before and after youth baseball games at the park in the summer, Zeise said.

City workers commented it was too bad the tree had to fall on the shelter instead of the nearby gazebo, which was in somewhat worse condition and does not get used as much, Garcia said.

The tree was an oak with a trunk solid except for the base where it rotted and broke.

South Lakeview Park has a number of silver oaks and red oaks, but it was impossible to tell the exact variety of the downed tree because its leaves already were brown, Zeise said.

Shawver said he intends to raise money for the pavilion so it could be replaced without spending tax dollars.

It was unclear exactly what a replacement cost might be.

Garcia said she intended to get an estimate for Shawver.

The shelter had two signs on it.

One was the logo for Rotary International and the other said: “Presented to the citizens of Lorain by the Lorain Rotary Club 1967.”

Zeise said he was called out Nov. 15 for a report of 22 trees down, mostly on Lorain’s west side.

One was in South Lorain and three were on private property that city workers could not access, he said.

“It was a busy, busy day,” Zeise said.

A fallen tree caught wires and took down several utility poles on Archwood Avenue, west of South Lakeview Park, Zeise said.

Along Baumhart Road north of Route 2, several utility poles on the east side of the road also were snapped from the strong winds, he said.

RICHARD PAYERCHIN — THE MORNING JOURNAL Strong winds Nov. 15blew over an oak tree that smashed the Rotary Club picnic shelter at South Lakeview Park in Lorain. Here, the trunk of the tree remains inside where it fell through the pavilion roof.

SUBMITTED An oak tree crashed through the roof of the Lorain Rotary Club shelter.

SUBMITTED Branches scattered and the Rotary Club picnic shelter gave way.

RICHARD PAYERCHIN — MORNING JOURNAL This sign commemorates the dedication of the pavilion in 1967.

SUBMITTED Branches were scattered and the Rotary Club picnic shelter was smashed when Lorain Public Property Department workers arrived to clean up on Nov. 16, 2020. Strong winds Nov. 15, 2020, blew over an oak tree that crashed through the roof of the shelter, which was dedicated in 1967.