Milford Couple Donates $9,000 for Accessible Pier at Louisa Lake

A single donation from a Milford family will allow the town to construct a handicapped accessible fishing platform at Louisa Lake this summer.

The $9,000 gift came from Harold and Marcia Rhodes, who have lived in town for 30 years, and raised their daughter, Rebecca, here. A devastating auto crash 11 years ago left Marcia Rhodes with paralysis. She now uses a wheelchair.

At the time, their daughter was just 14, and the Rhodes were moved by how local families and school officials embraced and looked after them.

"For that and so much more, this was our gift," Harold Rhodes said Monday.

"We thought it would be the right thing to do. The town has done so many good things for our family. We really like living here."

A coalition of current and former town employees is preparing the engineering and construction plans. All work will be conducted in-house, using the funds provided by the Rhodes.

The effort includes Building Commissioner John Erickson, Highway Surveyor Scott Crisafulli, former Town Engineer Mike Santora and Mike Nicholson, chairman of the Milford Commission on Disability. The group met after being called together by Selectman Dino DeBartolomeis, to discuss how to provide more accessiblity to the lakefront.

Construction is expected to begin later this month.

When completed, the pier will allow people to walk out over the lake, to fish or just enjoy the water view. 

"When it's done, everyone is going to like it," Rhodes said.