It was nearly impossible to keep the info on the down low. The pair of eagles that local enthusiasts had been watching for about three years around Sweet Arrow Lake had finally made a nest, and that nest held two eaglets.

During that spring, various people paddled gently to a vantage point to check the nest. One day, following a horrendous May storm, the nest was gone. A search revealed the nest had fallen to the ground.Miraculously, one of the eaglets was uninjured. The other clearly had a fractured leg. Locals quickly contacted Red Creek Wildlife Center and the Pennsylvania Game Commission. The injured eaglet was taken to a specialist in Philadelphia for surgery; post-surgery it was rehabilitated at Red Creek.Meanwhile, the pair of eagles continued to care for the other eaglet on the ground. After about two months, the injured eaglet was returned to the fallen nest area. Before its release, renowned bird expert and writer Scott Weidensaul banded the injured eaglet on its right leg. When it was released, the eagle family reunited and soon all were flying.The story of the injured eaglet, which rescuers had named Walden, mirrors the story of Sweet Arrow Lake. Once beautiful, then fractured, rehabilitated and now, glorious.Craig Morgan, Pine Grove, now retired, headed the Schuylkill Conservation District. When the park area was obtained by Schuylkill County, he and head of Schuylkill County Parks and Recreation Bob Evanchalk were charged with overseeing renovations there. Evanchalk has also retired."Before then, I bet I only fished there five or 10 times in my life," Morgan said. "The waterfall area was closed to the public and the clubhouse was in disrepair."Today, Morgan is chair of the Sweet Arrow Lake board, which reports to the Schuylkill County Commissioners, and he's vice chairman of the Friends of Schuylkill Parks and Recreation. Evanchalk also recalled fishing trips, and even as a youngster, wishing the area could be restored and preserved."I have always lived in the area and I have lots of good memories of fishing the lake with my dad," he said. "I always had the hope that other people would be able to make memories as good as the ones I have; there's such a need and demand for outdoor recreation, and I always wanted to see that happen."In 2001, that dream started to happen, but it first appeared as a nightmare. The dam was in dire need of repair, and that was first on the agenda. In July 2001, the lake was drained for dam repairs. People who lived on the lake and enjoyed the serenity of looking out over its calm waters soon found themselves looking at 60 acres of weeds.Those were trying times for all who had enjoyed recreation on the lake. In 2002, the back side of the dam was covered in roller-compacted concrete, by 2003 the lake again held water. At its formal reopening, the project was dedicated to the late Stanley Tobash, who had served as a Schuylkill County Commissioner and was instrumental in the county's acquisition of the park.And then, uh-oh. Hurricane Ivan ravaged the area in 2004, but the new dam withstood the onslaught. Work at the park transitioned to the clubhouse and grounds. First, enormous and aged pine trees which stood dangerously close to the clubhouse were removed; their sprawling stumps were excavated and holes refilled for landscaping.The cedar-shingled clubhouse, which had been painted a bluish color, was pressure washed back to the original cedar color. The majority of the work was completed by volunteers from two grounds which have been instrumental to park improvements, the Sweet Arrow Lake Conservation Association and the Northern Swatara Creek Watershed Association. The gorgeous inside of the clubhouse was painted and refinished.In 2005, the clubhouse was opened to the public for rental, and today, the clubhouse and pavilions are rented a combined 360 times per year, Evanchalk said. That same year, about one thousand trout were stocked in the lake."We worked with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and jurisdiction of the lake was turned over to them," Morgan said. "With their help, we were able to create lots of fish structure and good management of the fishery."In 2006, 80 "porcupine cribs" for fish structure were installed in the lake. In 2007 the grounds benefited from numerous improvements - a playground, gazebo, boardwalk trail to the falls (The Craig Morgan Trail), pavilion and road improvements. In 2008, the PF & B Commission stocked 3,000 trout, with the Swatara Cooperative Trout Nursery."Once the friends group was formed, Kay Russell procured the $500,000 Stine Foundation Grant and we were able to get matching state funds for all the work that was done," Morgan said. "The county had created an endowment fund with $750,000 in landfill closure fees which were returned to the county - most of that money was from the Pine Grove landfill. Earnings from the fund are held by the Schuylkill Area Community Foundation."Most recently, in April, the park received a $250,000 DCNR grant which will be used for improvements to the waterfall parking lot area. The county commissioners added $150,000 and Friends of Schuylkill County Parks and Recreation added $100,000. The money will be used to resurface, pave and landscape the area of the gravel lot on Waterfall Road, and build a large pavilion with kitchen facilities. More ADA restrooms will be constructed along with upgraded water and electric utilities.The programs and activities available at the park are varied - The clubhouse and grounds are hosts to weddings, wildlife programs, Groundhog Day celebrations, disc golf, bird walks, clambakes and even Zumba fitness classes. Visitors can bring their own boats or rent kayaks and canoes, to take part in fishing or boating; there is also a Family Fun Fishing event that kicks off in April. Hiking trails are well-marked, scenic and family-friendly.Want to go? Check out the location by going to

www.sweetarrowlakepark.com, or find more information on the park's Facebook page. The park is located at 108 Clubhouse Road, Pine Grove.