Finally, the dock at the public beach with its deteriorating polystyrene flotation was removed.

Back in November 2020, the Mirror Lake Watershed Association (MLWA) advised then-Mayor Craig Randall that polystyrene, often used in dock construction, was creating an environmental hazard for Mirror Lake.

Bill Billerman, MLWA chair, explained to the village board that over time polystyrene breaks down into smaller bits and pieces, is ingested by birds and fish, and ends up wherever the air and water carry it. Unfortunately, there are a number of privately owned docks and buoys in Mirror Lake that use unencapsulated polystyrene for flotation, but the number one offender was our own public beach dock. And so, the Lake Placid Village Board of Trustees began considering a ban on unencapsulated polystyrene docks.

Meanwhile, the MLWA started pressing the village to replace the beach dock. Additionally, we encouraged businesses and private property owners who were using unencapsulated foam to upgrade their docks and buoys, not because they were illegal, but because they might want to do their part to help protect Mirror Lake and its ecosystem. Two years later, we have a new local law that bans the use of polystyrene by 2023, and as of last week, the public beach dock is gone, thanks to a LEAF grant of $150,000 given to the village of Lake Placid in 2021.

“Removal of the dock reminds us of the complexities of any construction or deconstruction project,” Nev Dunn told me. “Trucks, a boat, front-end loaders, and workers all working in sync to remove a dock with crumbling foam, soda, and beer cans stuffed into crannies. Two days later, the beach was clean. Only one beer can escaped and was quickly picked up when we went kayaking. Hats off for such a splendid job.”

Steve Detwiler and Bill Billerman were also there to witness the event. Billerman said: “The dock removal was done carefully by the Village crew headed by Mike Goddeau.” Detwiler explained that the dock was “… pulled out of the water to be dismantled on the beach.” By pulling the dock on shore in sections, Billerman explained, “… they were able to separate the frame from the deteriorated, exposed foam, and the big forklift, Detwiler added, was “… used to load the polystyrene billets into a Village dump truck … taken to the North Elba Transfer Station, and compacted along with other household garbage to be removed to a landfill site outside the Adirondack Park.”

It was reassuring to learn from Billerman that, “By working onshore, the lake trout spawning ground in the large stone cribbing under the furthest point of the dock was not disturbed.” Next spring, when the ice melts, we can look forward to a new, totally encapsulated, beach dock.

All of the members of the MLWA board, especially Bill Billerman and Nev Dunn, have been focused on the removal of the beach dock for two years now, and we are happy to finally be able to celebrate the culmination of our efforts. Thank you so much to the village board, Mike Goddeau, and the village Highway Department for finally getting it done, and done so well.