Hanover Township Engineer Fredrick Hay says the Pennsylvania Fish and Game Commission has reviewed the habitat of fish in the refurbished Hanover Lake in the township's Canal Park.

"They are recommending that we add small bait fish, minnows," he said at the May 1 Hanover Township Council meeting. "They don't want to see the lake get overrun with bluegills."

The bait fish are designed to increase the size of sport fish like bass. Fishing is currently prohibited in the lake until the habitat can be firmly established, but Councilman Randall Atkinson noted neighbors in the area have seen anglers after dark.

"The game commission is recommending that we keep the fishing prohibition on for another year," said Hay.

The township spent over $600,000 renovating the lake to make it an active recreational facility as part of Canal Park. The fish initially placed in the lake were fingerlings, but there have been some lunkers seen in the waters recently. According to Hay, the game commission noted that some of the sport fish were 10-inches and larger.

Hay also reported that the new split rail fence along North Dauphin Street is complete. A smaller fence was destroyed in an accident and the newly installed fence was extended to protect more of the park area.

Council also passed an ordinance amendment prohibiting dumping chlorinated swimming pool water into storm sewers. Councilman Michael Woolley contended the water collected in pools over the offseason was not included in the ban because it does not contain chlorine. Township Solicitor Jackson Eaton said state regulations did not address how to dispose of chlorinated water.