News Release 484

MONSANTO BEACH AT ST. JOE STATE PARK
WILL CLOSE SEPT. 2 FOR IMPROVEMENTS

Volume 36-484

Contact: Sue Holst

(For immediate release)

573-751-6510

JEFFERSON CITY, MO., AUG. 15, 2008 -- The swimming beach at Monsanto Lake in St. Joe State Park in Park Hills will close temporarily while improvements are being made, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources announced today.

The preparatory work is scheduled to begin Aug. 19, and the beach will remain open during this time. The beach will close Sept. 2, the day after Labor Day, so construction work can begin. While work is being done on Monsanto Beach, the park's other beach on Pim Lake will remain available to swimmers.

The work beginning in August is the first phase of an improvement effort on the beach on Monsanto Beach. The existing beach material will be covered with new sand. A vegetation and tree-covered berm will be constructed between the off-road-vehicle riding area and the beach to serve as a visual, sound and wind barrier. A small parking area will be incorporated into the berm to provide access to the beach area for ORV riders. An accessible fishing pier and an accessible swimming platform for the lake will be added. Sidewalks will be constructed to provide access to and from the picnic shelter, the parking lot, restrooms and beach. A sand volleyball court will be constructed and benches installed.

The first phase of improvements should be completed by the start of the major recreation season next year. The improvements are a cooperative effort between the Department of Natural Resources and the Doe Run Co.

The second phase of the improvement project will include an additional covered picnic shelter and several covered picnic tables. No timeframe has been developed for this phase of the project.

For more information about the project, contact the park at 573-431-1069. For more information about Missouri state parks and historic sites, call the department toll free at 800-334-6946 (voice) or 800-379-2419 (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) or visit www.mostateparks.com.

For news releases on the Web, visit www.dnr.mogov/newsrel. For a completing listing of upcoming meetings and events for the state park system, visit the online calendar at www.dnr.mo.gov/calendar/parkssearch.do.

###