Starke County Park Board Finalizes Five-Year Plan

Posted on March 21, 2017
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI

The Starke County Park Board has finalized a five-year plan for the county’s park and recreation facilities. The document will help guide improvements at parks, such as the Bass Lake Beach and Campground, the Starke County Forest, and Yellow River access sites at Range Road and English Lake. On top of that, it makes the county eligible for grant funding from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to help achieve some of those goals.

Board President Debbie Mix says a few minor updates were made to the plan since a draft was submitted to the DNR in January. She says the county’s ADA transition plan was added, as requested by the DNR.

Additionally, the plan no longer refers to Bass Lake Beach and Campground operator Callahan Development, LLC by name, instead just referring to “the lessee.” The terms of the county’s existing lease with Callahan are considered a challenge to making improvements at the property. However, residents complained last month that it was unfair to call out the lessee by name, when the plan didn’t necessarily do so with other individuals and organizations.

The updated plan will be submitted to the DNR by April 15. If it gets final approval, Starke County will be able to apply for grants later this year.

At the same time, Mix says the board is already considering ways to start implementing some of the plan’s suggestions. During last week’s meeting, members began discussing potential grant opportunities for some of the relatively easy projects on the list.