Starke County Park Board to Pursue Quality of Place Grant for Yellow River Access Site Upgrades

Posted on June 14, 2017
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI

The Starke County Park Board hopes to bring more visitors to the Yellow River with state grant funding. Carolla Heilstedt plans to coordinate efforts to improve the county’s Yellow River access site at Range Road.

She told the park board Tuesday that the project would involve a new parking lot, a way to get to the riverbank, and a launch for canoes or kayaks. Restrooms could also be added in the future.

County Attorney Marty Lucas noted that the upgrades are already in Starke County’s five-year park plan, and the county already owns the land. “Sometimes, we have a lot of little legal issues, but this one looks pretty clear because not only does the county actually have a deed to the property, fee simple, but the deed specifically says it’s for use as river access,” he said. “So nobody can say that’s any misuse of the property, either. That’s actually a term of the acquisition, so it’s kind of unique. It’s the only one I know of in the county that kind of has that nice clean situation.”

The improvements would accomplish a couple goals. They would make the Yellow River more friendly to out-of-county tourists by making it clear where they can access the river. The Range Road site would also provide a convenient stopping point between Wythogan Park in Knox and the Kankakee Fish and Wildlife Area.

To help pay for the upgrades, the Starke County Park Board plans to pursue a Place Based Investment grant from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs and the Indiana Office of Tourism Development. That grant would require a local match. Potential funding sources include the Starke County Council and the county’s tourism group.

The grant application is due Friday, July 14.

Tourism Grant Dollars Earmarked for Rail Line Updates

March 18, 2016AuthorMary Perren, WKVI 

The Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum is the beneficiary of an Indiana Office of Tourism Development matching grant. The agency awarded the Town of North Judson a $31,897 Destination Development Grant.

That money will be used to increase awareness of the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum among leisure travelers and enhance marketing efforts of both the attraction and state tourism. Officials say the Destination Development grant program is intended to help local economies grow by promoting the travel, tourism and hospitality industries.

The Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum operates excursion trains on the rail corridor owned by the Town of North Judson. The town and museum will match the grant in cash and in-kind labor.

The money is earmarked for what’s known as “Project 600.” Plans call for the installation of 600 new railroad ties along a stretch of track west of English Lake on the LaPorte County side of the rail line. Total project costs are estimated at $69,794.

The Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum has carried more than 42,000 passengers on its excursion trains since May of 2006. They operate mainly on Saturdays and run between North Judson, English Lake and LaCrosse from May through December. Find more information online at www.hoosiervalley.org.