Visitors at Pike and Center lakes in Warsaw will soon be able to rent a kayak from a kiosk.
That’s thanks to a $29,660 grant the Kosciusko County Convention, Recreation and Visitor Commission (KCCRVC) gave to the city’s parks department after a request by Superintendent Larry Plummer Wednesday.
Plummer told the board both lakes are ideal for the project, which, with the funding, could be installed as quickly as two to three months.
“It’s basically like a bike share concept, but it’s different because at a bike share concept, you have to have someplace to go,” Plummer said. “Here, you’re at the lake, your playground is there, you just simply download the app, rent the kayak, get your paddle, your life jacket’s all in there, you take it out, you use it, you lock it back up with the Bluetooth lock and it charges your credit card.”
Plummer said he hopes it will bring more people to the lakes, and it’s also something that’s been in the department’s master plan after residents wanted more access.
Plummer said he was just downtown last Friday for the First Friday event, handing out surveys, when he spoke to three girls who said they travel to Columbia City to rent kayaks.
“They’re actually going to Columbia City to pay $38 a day to kayak. They’d like to see it here as well, and I think it’s something the community needs,” Plummer said. “I think it’s a win-win situation for the Visitor’s Bureau and us.”
Each kiosk will contain six kayaks, he said.
Another grant the KCCRVC approved was for $7,703.28 after Chuck McLaughlin, with Lake City Skiers, asked to use that money to help pay two bills for a loan the club took out to purchase new motors.
McLaughlin said the organization borrowed $100,000 on a five-year term and makes quarterly payments of $3,851. Not only did the group’s financials take a hit from COVID last year, but it also resulted in them losing their fuel sponsor.
“His (the fuel sponsor) business took a hit, so he couldn’t any longer help us out with that. Now, fuel prices are up and, of course, outdoor motors we have to use 90 (octane) plus, not ethanol, lead free, and that’s $4.16 a gallon right now, and we go through 1,000 gallons or more over the course of a season, so the reason I’m here is to ask for a grant to help us out with covering our motor payments. Without the motors, we can’t do anything,” he said, adding that the group did apply and receive another grant but they couldn’t use it to pay for motors that had already been purchased.
He said the organization has made the January quarterly payment, and this grant will cover the June and fall payments.
“At this point in time, we don’t start until Memorial Day, so the revenue, you know, is not generating yet,” McLaughlin said.
McLaughlin further noted that the group will be bidding on the 2023 Division I Nationals again, and he believes Warsaw has a very high chance of getting the tournament.
“Everybody loves our site,” he said.
He also plans to put together a package this year to try to get the world’s tournament in 2024, which includes six nations that have teams competing.
The board unanimously agreed the Lake City Skiers are a valuable asset to the community when it comes to generating revenue in the county’s hotels, dining and tourism.
Also given some money Wednesday was Pierceton’s Chamber of Commerce President Alicia Elder in the amount of $2,750. The board agreed to give her less than her $4,000 request so she can market Pierceton annual events.
Elder reported the Pierceton Days Festival will be July 30 and 31, with the car and truck show on the 30th and the vintage motorcycle show on the 31st.
The Heirloom Tomato Festival is slated for Aug. 24, and Elder said last year’s was the town’s biggest yet.
“We made sure it was a safe event, so even though that event is a one-day event – the physical event – many of our vendors are outside of our county. They come in, they stay, and then they spend Sunday in Winona Lake, Syracuse, Webster, things of that nature,” she said, adding she’s heard from vendors who are more interested in lake rentals and Air BnB’s instead of hotels. “They want to be able to have that availability.”
The agricultural art show and tomato festival 5K walk also is scheduled for Aug. 24.
The annual primitive show is tentatively set for Dec. 4, but Elder said not only did last year’s get cancelled, but she’s not too certain about this year because the show is held in the town’s elementary school and schools have stricter COVID restrictions than public buildings.
The next KCCRVC meeting is 9 a.m. July 14 at the old courthouse.
