To the Editor:
I have been walking regularly in Green Lakes State Park for several years. I walk with a friend for about an hour. We have tried many different paths, but our favorite by far is the walk around Green and Round lakes. It is simply beautiful in the early morning.
There is a problem with this trail, however. The only bathroom facilities are on Green Lake at the beach area. My walking buddy and I have occasionally needed a toilet where there is none. This results in a certain unpleasantness that I do not need to describe in detail.
I understand that the Round Lake trail is fragile. I would not want to propose putting plumbing, sewer connections or other major excavation into this remote area; however, green technology could be used to good effect. A small enclosure with a composting toilet in a wooded space off the trail might fulfill the needs of the park users without disturbing the ecology.
I think it is time to start a feasibility study, with attention to the environmental impact, as well as the costs for such a project. The addition of a small, ecologically appropriate toilet facility would make Round Lake accessible to me and to many other park users for many years to come.
Elizabeth Nguyen, Manlius