The condition of Cleveland's state-run lakefront parks is worse than I thought.

I detailed on Tuesday some of the shoddy upkeep at three parks – Euclid Beach, Wildwood/Villa Angela and Edgewater -- noting overgrown grass, uncollected trash and the poor conditions of amenities, from rotting picnic tables to busted restrooms.

Urged by beach users to stay on the issue, I looked this week beyond the cosmetic problems and discovered something more outrageous than overflowing trash cans.

I discovered years of bureaucratic inaction, which is more challenging to unclog than the toughest public toilet.

The poor condition of the Cleveland's lakefront park system, which also includes Gordon Park and the East 55th Street Marina, dates back to at least 1978. That's when cash-strapped Cleveland, a lousy steward of the properties, handed them to the state.

In 2004, The Plain Dealer documented the parks' poor conditions under state control. The story and related photos generated public outrage and prompted the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to immediately launch an aggressive but short-lived assault on the weeds and graffiti and other problems.

The story also prompted a discussion about turning management of the lakefront parks over to the Cleveland Metroparks, the regional park system that has earned a reputation for managing its parks well.

I pointed out Tuesday – nearly eight years later – that the same "idea" is still being discussed.

If this is the speed of government Gov. John Kasich campaigned against in 2010, then he needs to start yelling at somebody.

Scott Fletcher, deputy chief of Ohio State Parks, told me, "conversations have taken place at the highest levels," but at the moment, no meeting with the Metroparks is scheduled.

Cleveland's lakefront parks – which are considered a single unit that includes Headlands Beach in Mentor -- draw more visitors than any other Ohio state park. Cleveland's parks also draw some real losers -- people who leave soiled diapers in the sand, tag everything with graffiti, including trees, use obnoxious language in front of children and treat pavilions and concession areas like street corners.

It's easy to see why they get the upper hand.

The state has just four park rangers working the city's lakefront parks each day. They can't possibly keep up with complaints, let alone engage patrons and build a presence that deters losers. Headlands has two part-time, or seasonal, officers assigned to it and doesn't face the same challenges.

Incredibly, the lakefront park system has 8 ranger vacancies and the money to fill them. Fletcher said the state has simply been unable to find qualified candidates.

Filling these positions should be a top priority. If it isn't, every dollar spent on clean-up and upgrades is potentially wasted.

It should come as no surprise that the state has 5 permanent maintenance positions open, including one for mechanics who can fix busted mowers and other heavy equipment. The state also has the money to fill the positions. Fletcher says the state recently broadened its advertising to search for candidates.

Last August, the state reorganized its park management, which, Fletcher says, allows the state to transfer more money and personnel into the lakefront system as needed. He said the state will add resources on the weekend before and after the Fourth of July.

The state has spent tens of millions on the lakefront parks, including $37 million in capital improvements since 1985. That money was spent mainly on repairs to existing facilities and on things like dredging.

The lakefront parks also receives attention from the state's Division of Watercraft, which has four officers, two supervisors and one investigator assigned there. Officers from the divisions of wildlife and forestry, who are typically assigned outside Cuyahoga County, are helping cover unfilled positions in those respective divisions. But they do not cover the same ground, hours and duties of the desperately needed rangers.

Obviously, all of this has not been enough. That's why groups of all-volunteer park lovers have tried to help out. Three in particular are active: Adopt-a-Beach, The Friends of Edgewater and Drink Local Drink Tap.

Beach cleanup events

Here's several upcoming beach cleanup events.

Euclid Beach (16250 Lakeshore Blvd.):

Beach Cleanup Yoga: Wednesday, July 11, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Beach Cleanup and Great Lakes Plastic Survey: Saturday, July 21, noon-2 p.m.

Euclid Beach Blast: Saturday, Aug. 4, 5-8:30 p.m.

International Coastal Cleanup Day: Saturday, Sept. 15, 10 a.m.-noon

Edgewater Beach:

Beach Cleanup with 106.5 FM: Saturday, July 7, 10 a.m.-noon.; Saturday, Aug. 4, 3-4:30 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 1, 10 a.m.-noon

"The condition of the parks would be much, much worse without volunteers," says volunteer coordinator Stephen Love, who is also helping launch a Park Ambassador program and raise money for a beach cleaning machine that would be dedicated to Edgewater Park.

The lakefront park system has one such machine, called a Cherrington, for all six beaches. It's what the Zamboni machine is to ice rinks. And its been sitting largely idle because the only guy trained to run it retired a while back. The park system started training replacements last week.

There's plenty of blame to go around for the depressing condition of the lakefront, including some of Cleveland's state legislators who have made little noise about the conditions.

We can't keep measuring the success of lakefront park management by whether or not the state gets the grass cut. Now is the time for bolder action. There's nothing holding back the City of Cleveland from trying to facilitate a discussion between the Metroparks and the state. Hint, hint.

State officials are taking me on a tour of the parks next week. They should hold public meetings, too, to hear firsthand from park users what the parks need most.

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