WINONA LAKE — Grace College hosted a joint groundbreaking with Kosciusko County Velo (KCV) on Thursday afternoon to celebrate the start of two highly anticipated community projects. 

Various groups, including Grace students, faculty, staff, administration and community partners, first gathered to break ground on the Community Fieldhouse at the Miller Athletic Complex. 

[caption id="attachment_130270" align="alignright" width="420"] The Kosciusko County Velo Cycling Board of Directors broke ground on phase II of the Winona Lake Bike Park at the Hauth Trailhead along Pierceton Road on Thursday afternoon. Photo by Times-Union[/caption]

Then, the crowd made their way to Hauth Trailhead, the future site of the Winona Lake Bike Park, for the second groundbreaking.

“Both of these projects are key components of the Catalyst Corridor initiative that represents a strategic investment to significantly enhance community well-being, recreational opportunities and overall quality of place in the Winona Lake-Warsaw and greater Kosciusko County area,” said Dr. Emiko Kreklau, executive director of the Catalyst Corridor.

 “At Grace College, we are unapologetic about our community involvement. When our community thrives, we all thrive. Collectively, these projects will address the health and wellness needs in the community while also contributing to the region's vibrancy.”

According to recent community surveys, 87.2% of residents do not believe there are enough recreational facilities, and 89.6% specifically indicate a need for additional indoor facilities. Currently, residents who participate in youth and adult sports leagues such as soccer, baseball, softball, cricket and flag football frequently travel outside the area for sporting events and practices.

The Community Fieldhouse addresses the shortage by providing year-round accessibility and comprehensive amenities. The project will include an indoor turf field capable of supporting U-12 soccer games with a divider curtain for younger age youth soccer. The space will also contain six total batting cages for baseball and softball, as well as a weight-training room and restrooms.

The fieldhouse will be located at the Miller Athletic Complex, and will be in a prime location for community access. 

Eight new pickleball courts will be built adjacent to the fieldhouse and six existing tennis courts, providing sufficient space for community pickleball tournaments. The fieldhouse will also be connected to the Heritage Trail and the Winona Lake bike trails, just across from the Winona Lake Bike Park.

The second ribbon-cutting celebrates another step toward construction of KCV’s upcoming bike park, which will include a pump track, a kids bike playground, jump lines, a skill zone and more. The project transforms 15 acres into a space where riders of all ages and skill levels can ride, learn and grow. It builds on KCV’s 10+ miles of mountain bike trails and expands access to safe, structured riding experiences for the entire community.

“The addition of the Winona Lake Bike Park, in conjunction with the new fieldhouse, off-road trails and greenways, creates great, healthy opportunities for residents of Kosciusko County to enjoy outdoor activities,” said Mike Cusick, president of KCV Cycling. “This new recreation hub will also attract many visitors from outside our region, which will result in a significant positive economic impact for our community.”

The Times-Union reports Cusick said they’re estimating 1,100 truckloads of dirt will be moved from the fieldhouse to the park to create the base for the park, and that thanks to Grace College President Dr. Drew Flamm and others at Grace, much of the needed dirt will be moved from the Fieldhouse project.

The Catalyst Corridor Project is a series of initiatives in Warsaw and Winona Lake that fall into four themes: innovation initiatives, wellbeing amenities, connection ways and enhanced placemaking. The Catalyst Corridor is made possible by a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its College and Community Collaboration (CCC) initiative.

To learn more about the KCV bike park and how to get involved, go to kcvcycling.org/blog/kosciusko-county-bike-park-learn-ride-connect/.

To contribute to the Community Fieldhouse, visit www.grace.edu/give-to-grace/current-projects/.

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