|
February 10, 2006
DINING FACILITY AT LAKE HOPE STATE PARK DESTROYED BY FIRE
Building has historic significance to Ohio State Parks
 COLUMBUS, OH - A fire destroyed the 56-year-old Hope Dining Lodge at Lake Hope State Park in Vinton County early this morning, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). There were no injuries in the incident.
The park’s cottages and nearby Laurel Lodge, a popular overnight facility for groups of up to 24 people, were not damaged. Laurel Lodge was unoccupied at the time.
Park officers, as well as local law enforcement personnel and firefighters from three area departments, responded to a 1:15 a.m. alarm at the facility and found it fully engulfed in flames. An investigator from the State Fire Marshal’s Fire & Explosion Investigation Bureau arrived about 3 a.m. The Fire Marshal’s office continues to investigate the cause of the blaze today. Firefighters from the nearby Zaleski Fire Department remain on the scene in order to suppress any “hot spots” that might develop.
Normal operations resumed this morning at Lake Hope State Park, including rental of the park’s 66 overnight cottages. All cottage and campground rentals will be handled temporarily through the main park office, located on Route 278.
 The rustic stone and wood dining lodge was completed in 1950, and remodeled in 1990. It housed the park’s cottage and campground rental office, a meeting room, gift shop, game room and the popular Stone Terrace Restaurant. The restaurant, a warm-weather gathering place for both locals and out-of-town visitors, closed for the season in early December.
Hope Dining Lodge held historic significance and fond memories for many Ohio families. The dining lodge terrace, with its panoramic view of 120-acre Lake Hope and surrounding Zaleski State Forest, was the site of numerous weddings, family reunions and similar gatherings over the last half-century. Ohio State Parks’ naturalist program originated there and the facility hosted statewide naturalist training programs for decades.
Lake Hope State Park is one of Ohio’s most popular outdoor destinations. The 3,223-acre park is situated entirely within Zaleski State Forest. It features 27 miles of hiking, mountain biking and bridle trails, as well as a swimming beach, picnic areas and a 223-site campground. About 850,000 people visited the park in 2005.
|