The passing this week of former LECO president Robert Warren is bringing back memories for Berrien County officials who helped the county acquire Silver Beach back in the 1990s, buying it from Warren. Retired Berrien County Parks Director Randy Rood worked directly with Warren on the project. He tells WSJM News LECO acquired the beach when the Silver Beach Amusement Park closed. From there, Warren leased the beach to the city of St. Joseph until that deal fell apart.
“I met Bob in 1988,” Rood said. “I was 32 years old. I met with Mr. Warren and his trusted advisor a few days after a wrecking ball brought down the restroom and concession building at Silver Beach. From there, Bob gave me the opportunity, the county the opportunity, to pitch a plan for a county-owned and operated park on the shores of Lake Michigan.”
Rood says he had to find $3 million in 18 months for the county to buy the property. He says it easily could have fallen into a private developer’s hands and we’d have condos instead of the public beach Berrien County has now. County leaders jumped at the chance to buy the land.
“It was viewed almost from the outset as an opportunity. There was much concern. At that time, the future of Silver Beach was unknown. The pavilion came down, the For Sale signs went up. The future of Silver Beach was very, very uncertain.”
Rood says the sale was final on December 1, 1990. Work to develop the Silver Beach we know today was in two phases, one in 1991 and the other in 1992. He remembers Warren as a kind, caring, humorous person who told Rood when the sale was coming together, “Congratulations. Don’t mess this up.” Silver Beach now has more than 700,000 visitors per year.
