Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Park Board picks Aukiki over Raise the Barn

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By JEFF SCHULTZ

Answering the Porter County Council’s charge to make a choice, the County Park Board picked Aukiki Park as the project to pursue funding for this year over the long planned “Raise the Barn” education center at Sunset Hill Park.

But, the board made it clear in its 6-0 decision that it is in no way abandoning the pursuit of funding for the education center which has been in the works now for more than 15 years.

It was also apparent the board agreed that the Council had put the board in a tough spot, considering the projects are located in different sections of the County.

“I don’t like we are being put behind the eight ball. We’re kind of getting boxed in and its unfair. So we need to take a step forward and do the best we can. It’s the way I feel,” said board member Annetta Jones.

Hearing that the park board was interested in requesting $2.5 million for the education center and $1.5 million for Aukiki, the Council at their March 22 meeting told Parks Superintendent Walter Lenckos to tell the board there is not enough money on hand now for both projects and to decide which of the projects they want to commit to first.

Board member Drew Armstrong got the discussion going Thursday by making the motion for the funding to go to Aukiki Park at Kouts in south Porter County.

Seconding was member Craig Kenworthy who said this would put a park closer to everyone in Porter County. Except for Dunn’s Bridge on the Kankakee River, every other park property is located in the county’s north half.

The $1.5 million or more will let the parks department install infrastructure for sewer and water, create contours for sports fields and a parking lot, he said. The intention for Aukiki is to have soccer, softball and baseball fields for youth sports.

“For that kind of money, we get to open a park that is seven miles from the center of this county,” Kenworthy said. “That allows us to start changing the quality of life for a whole entity that deserves to have a park.”

One of the board’s main supporters for Raise the Barn, member David Canright said he has always supported having a park in south Porter County and voted in favor of purchasing the land for Aukiki Park. He advocated however that the request be made for the activity center as it is farther along in development and donated money is waiting to be used.

Former State Representative Ralph Ayres, who passed away last week, had procured $35,000 in state funding for site clearing and preparation for Raise the Barn shortly after the project was announced, Canright said.

The Porter County Parks Foundation has since collected about $200,000, mostly in private donations, in support of Raise the Barn. The family of former Parks Board President Art Willing has pledged an additional $300,000.

The center would allow shelter from inclement weather at Sunset Hill Farm as well as a place for programing, Canright said. “We finally could say Sunset Hill is finished,” Canright said.

The longest serving board member, President Rich Hudson said he can remember years ago when south county residents didn’t want to have a county park but “things have changed” as the population has shifted.

Hudson said he realizes the years of thought and planning that have gone into Raise the Barn.

“To leave Sunset Hill in the dust of Aukiki Park is wrong,” Hudson said.

Canright suggested amending the motion so that it “doesn’t lessen the (board’s) support for the education center.”

“We’re going to come back year after year until it’s built,” he said.

From the audience, Bryan McFadden, who teaches a program at Sunset Hill and coaches soccer in Valparaiso, said he thinks “there is a need for both.”

“You’re in a tough spot,” he told the board.

Canright said he had fears that no matter what the board asks the Council for, it’s possible there won’t be enough for any of the projects.

Board attorney David Hollenbeck said he could understand the Council’s position and fashioned the language in the motion to reflect the board requests funds for the public use of Aukiki Park while “seeking funding as expeditiously and as consistently” for project capital funds for Raise the Barn.

He asked the board what amount they wanted for the Aukiki request. Kenworthy pushed for at least $3 million while others felt it should be closer to $2 million.

The engineer’s estimate done by Duneland Group put the overall construction costs for drainage control, utilities, excavation, parking lot and entrance, seeding, lighting, tree planting and excavating at $3.5 million.

The board passed its motion as a request for funds not to exceed $4 million.

Lenckos said he will be at the Council’s next meeting on April 26 and will let them know the decision, taking any feedback they give.

Kenworthy said it’s fine if the official request isn’t made in a few months since the land is being leased for farming now and no construction will go on until that’s done.

Having consensus on what could have been a divisive task, Hudson told the board, “We did good.”

Lenckos said he went before the County Redevelopment Commis-sion last month asking if they would consider granting funds to help with the road entrance at Aukiki. The RDC has taken the request under consideration.

Lenckos said that if construction starts this year, it’s probable that Aukiki will have sports fields ready for play and practice by fall 2017.

 

Posted 4/8/2016

 

 
 
 
 

 

 

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