Sad News

Koi
Originally uploaded by Apocaplops

One of my personal favorite spots in Lansing suffered tragedy this winter. Over the course of the long cold spell we had, the Koi pond at LCC's Shigematsu Memorial Gardens froze down to unsustainable levels, and all of the beautiful Koi but 3 were killed. The College believes they had an insufficient number of bubblers working to sustain the fish through such a cold snap.

I'm happy that the college plans to implement a better cold-weather solution for next year, including perhaps another bubbler and a heater, and they also plan to restock the pond. But of course it's sad that so many beautiful fish had to die because the pond was poorly designed for this climate. I'm not sure the pond itself is deep enough to overwinter the Koi, so I plan on talking with a fish vet friend to get his opinion.

I still love the place, it's a great place of solitude and wonderful memories for me amidst the din and bustle of downtown, but I'm afraid the waters will always be tinged crimson with Koi blood in my mind from now on.