Community Corner
Ben Oaks Swimming Hole Under Water and Closed
Sunday's heavy rains set off many bad scenarios, including this major problem in a Severna Park community on the Severn.
The Severna Park rains came and kept coming on Sunday leaving the Severn riverfront community of Ben Oaks literally under water at its lowest point at Scott’s Pond, or “The Beach” as it is known to residents and neighbors.
“Danger” and “Do Not Enter” signs and yellow caution tape surround the swimming hole, now littered with debris which had just been cleaned up and readied for the summer swimming season.
Lawns on the road leading down to the waterfront were still damp Tuesday, some with lines of leafy debris obvious, pointing to where the water had traveled from higher points in the neighborhood.
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Orange traffic safety barrels and yellow tape cordoned off a spot on Severnside Drive that appeared to have been repaired. The word “sinkhole” was used to describe it by a local teenager, who was on-site inspecting the damage.
According to one community member (who had witnessed the torrential downpour while pulling the family’s boat into the dock with her very young grandchildren), at the time she she was more concerned for their safety than checking the beach area. It was not until later that word got out about the mess.
When contacted by Patch, long-time resident Anne Pringle said she had just heard about the beach and pond damage and was headed down to take a look.
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The Ben Oaks Swim Team has had to move practice to a generous resident's pool until the appropriate clean-up has been completed and the entire swimming hole is currently being drained and cleaned, according to signs posted by the Ben Oaks Community Association. The Ben Oaks beach and pond are private property, not open to the public, just residents.
Patch will update readers as information becomes available on plans for re-opening the beach. Stay tuned.
*This article has been updated to reflect that the Ben Oaks beach and pond are private property and not open too the public. The yellow tape was caution tape, not police tape. Patch regrets the errors. We take our reporting seriously and note corrections when brought to our attention.