Exit ahead: New ramps help turtles, ducks navigate Bedford Boys Ranch Lake

How did the chicken cross the road? Everybody knows that one. Try “How do the turtles get out of Bedford Boys Ranch Lake?”

At the completely made-over pond — now lined with concrete and with steeper embankments — the slow-moving reptiles were having a tough time getting in and out of the water. So city workers have installed three exit ramps made of rocks to make navigation easier not only for turtles but also for ducks.

The makeover is among improvements in the first phase of a project to renovate Boys Ranch Park that also include a new playground, fishing piers and a disc golf course.

The original plan for redoing the lake called for one ramp for turtles, city spokeswoman Natalie Foster said, but city employees quickly realized that one wasn’t enough.

Last year’s record rainfall has been both a blessing and a curse for the lake project because it delayed construction, pushing back February’s planned grand opening to May. But with less rain so far this year, it’s taking longer to fill the lake than expected, Foster said. As of Thursday, the lake was 99 percent full, with more rain forecast for this weekend.

“It has rained, but we haven’t gotten the downpours we needed,” Foster said.

The small turtle ramps are not meant for boats: They measure about 5 feet long and 2 feet wide, an ideal size for the wildlife. On Thursday morning lots of ducks and a few turtles were putting them to use.

Not everybody is satisfied, however. During Tuesday’s City Council meeting, resident Helen Martin criticized officials for not doing enough, describing the lake as a “dead zone.”

“There was no source of food other than what we can bring in,” she said. “We can actually use more ramps.”

Mayor Jim Griffin pointed out that the park is meant for sports and recreation.

“It’s been a yeoman’s effort,” he said. “The council and staff are aware of the passionate efforts to save wildlife, but it is a park, not a wildlife refuge.”

This story was originally published April 14, 2016 at 4:49 PM with the headline "Exit ahead: New ramps help turtles, ducks navigate Bedford Boys Ranch Lake."