WARSAW — After years of looking for state funding and other sources, the city of Warsaw is moving forward with the construction of a modern concrete skate park at Richardson-Dubois Park on East Market Street.

The move was announced at Thursday’s board of works meeting, and parks superintendent Larry Plummer said much of the cost of the $550,000 prorojet will rely on local grant money.

American Ramp Company of St. Louis will construct the all-cement surface park, which will include a bowl shape.

Work is expected to begin in April and be completed by early October, Plummer said.

The existing Mantis Skate Park has been around for decades, but has been pieced together with a series of ramps, and is in an industrial park.

Attempts to secure grant money for a new skate park from the state Department of Natural Resources in recent years did not work out, so the city changed gears and found local support.

That includes $275,000 from K21 Health Foundation, $40,0000 from the local Deco Foundation, and $19,000 from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation.

The rest will come from the park budget.

Other aspects will include security cameras and lighting. The city will take care of the pavement, he said.

K21 had previously lined up money for the future park, which was first proposed before the pandemic. Separately, over the years, K21 has supported the construction of pickleball courts at Kelly and Bixler parks in the city.

Plummer said he was encouraged by Mayor Jeff Grose to make the pitch to K21.

Plummer applauded the role of non-profits that have supported park projects.

"We're very lucky, very fortunate, to have a foundation that's willing to support health and wellness and give funds to the city and allow us to do projects like this," Plummer said.

He said he especially likes the location because it's close to several neighborhoods and schools, including Lakeview Middle School, which could eventually include students from Edgewood Middle School, and the fact that it sits along a bike route.

"Accessibility from the trail is really what intrigued K21. They want that corridor all the way through town," Plummer said. "Just a great addition to Richardson-Dubois Park. They thought it was a great fit."

The future park will not be fenced in or require supervision.

Plummer said he believes the existing park in Warsaw is the only one in the state that still relies on city staffers for supervision. 

“They do this probably all over the country, and almost 90 percent of their skate parks are not fenced in. They recommend that we don’t,” Plummer said. 

“It just feels more open and inviting for people,” he said. “When you’re a skater, you feel like you wanna be free and try anything you can, and this opens that up.”

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WARSAW — Center Lake Beach could be reopened on Thursday — Independence Day — if tests taken Wednesday show a reduction in E.coli bacteria, according to Warsaw Parks Superintendent Larry Plummer.

The beach was closed Wednesday morning after the Kosciusko County Health Department notified the parks department that tests taken Tuesday showed an unsafe level of E.coli, Plummer said Wednesday afternoon.

More tests were taken on Wednesday.

"We'll get a reading on those samples in the morning and they'll advise us if the counts are good — if they're good, we'll reopen the beach," Plummer said.

Updates on tests will be posted on the City of Warsaw Parks Department Facebook page.

The beach has been closed previously because of E.coli, but Wednesday’s decision was the first in nearly seven years.

Plummer said the recent high temperatures, may have contributed to the presence of E.coli.

Officials for years have said the old cement pier on the beach has contributed to the presence of E.coli because it causes water stagnation.

The pier has been closed for a year and the city plans to remove it when money becomes available.

He said the emergency closing reinforces the need to remove the pier.

Given the measures that have been taken in recent years to reduce E.coli, Plummer is hoping it’s an isolated incident.

The parks department uses a specialized rake to remove debris — including goose droppings — from the beach seven days a week. 

Employees also remove geese from its two beaches when they show up.

The only geese removed this year, though, have been at Pike Lake, he said.

"We have not seen them at Center so I don't think it's a fowl problem," he said. "I would lean more toward temperature or water movement. I'm not a scientist, but that's my sense over the years."

Plummer was asked if the circumstances reminded him of Jaws, the classic 1970s movie in which a community was under pressure to close a beach over a public safety issue (a shark!) ahead of the Fourth of July.

He laughed and offered an optimistic outlook.

"Our hopes are that the tests come back tomorrow and we can get the beach back open and our lifeguards are ready one way or another."

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WARSAW — Pickleball is immensely popular with many popular, but one neighbor's concern about the repetitive sounds emanating from the courts at Kelly Park led to some investigation by park staff.

Parks Superintendent Larry Plummer reported Tuesday night that he and Maintenance Director Shaun Gardner looked at the decibel readings near the court.

The noise level close to the courts ranged from 60-65 decibels. The noise level close to the home of the woman who expressed concern was closer to the low 50s.

For comparative purposes, Plummer said a garbage truck passing by registered at about 70, Plummer said.

Neighbors who live close to courts said they had no problems with noise from the courts.

The city also looked at the potential at construction a to enclose around the courts, but that estimated appeared to be $2 million to $ 3million dollars

"I don't see where we're at a level that we need to get all excited and build a two or three million building," said Park Board President Steve Haines.

Board member Michelle Boxell said she thought it had more to do with the repetitive sound rather than the sound level.

Plummer said they do plan to add slats to two sides of the courts to help minimize sound travel for nearby homes.

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COLUMBIA CITY -- Mark D. Green, a former parks director in Columbia City, has been charged with multiple felonies, including theft, corrupt business influence, and official misconduct.

Green, who had held the position for 20 years, was fired last month over suspicions of financial irregularities.

Columbia City Mayor Ryan Daniel said his administration had discovered suspicious financial activity involving Green and money taken from city accounts, but could not confirm the amount taken.

Green has been charged with several felonies relating to incidents that occurred between 2018 and 2023, following an investigation by the Whitley County Prosecutor’s Office, Indiana State Police, and Indiana State Board of Accounts.

His charges include four Level 5 felony counts of corrupt business influence, three Level 5 felony counts of theft of property over $50,000, and one Level 6 felony count of theft where property is between $750 and $50,000, as well as one count of official misconduct.

Green's annual salary in 2021 was $80,615, according to GovSalaries.com. He was released on bail following his arrest.

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