By MARGARET L. WILLIS

The first workshop to develop the Chesterton Park Department’s five-year plan was held Tuesday evening at the park department offices.

Just one member of the public, Joe Barufi, attended as a representative of the Extreme Sports Club, organized to create a skateboard, BMX and skate park facility in Chesterton.

Board members, who have repeatedly cited the park department’s limited budget, suggested just a few adjustments to the current five-year plan, one of which is to include the Extreme Sports facility.

The other, to include plans contingent on receiving a portion of the town’s 2005 County Economic Development Income Tax (CEDIT)

The town has earmarked $1,038,576 in CEDIT funds for the following projects in 2005:

•The construction of new basketball and tennis courts at Chesterton Park. Estimated cost: $140,000. Target completion date is October of 2005.

•The improvement of Thomas Centennial Park, including the addition of a new seating wall, fountain, and landscaping. Estimated cost: $75,000. Also anticipated to be complete in October 2005.

•The next phase of the renovation of Dogwood Park. The town expects to spend $200,000 on planning and development next year.

Each project will be funded exclusively with CEDIT funds.

The five year plan will be completed by the end of December, submitted to the state and likely approved within two to four weeks after that, superintendent Bruce Mathias said.

Followed to the T

Board president Vincent Emanuele noted that the previous plan, adopted in 1999, has been “followed to the T.” Working within a tight annual budget, the parks have managed to upgrade many facilities, according to a “jobs per park list,” he said.

Some of those projects include new shelters at Dogwwod Park, the Coffee Creek Park sledding hill, the new maintenance shed and other upgrades throughout the park system.

“We’ve established continuity on following our priorities. There’s not a lot more to say, except that the CEDIT fund plan will be included,” he added.

Barufi, treasurer and grant writer for the Extreme Sports Club, reported to the board that the club has been granted its 501 C-3 non-profit status by the IRS and have begun talking with various foundations about grant funding.

One grant possibility, through the Department of Natural Resources could yield anywhere from $10,000 TO $200,000, Barufi said, with a 50-50 match from the club.

He said the grant would come through the Land and Water Conservation Fund and could be applied to acquiring or developing outdoor recreational facilities.

The board assured Barufi that the park board could initiate the grant process, once it knows the Extreme Sports Club funds are available.

“We wanted to be sure you haven’t been pursuing this grant,” Barufi said, adding he wouldn’t want to ‘cross wires’ with the park board.

Barufi said he is researching other grant possibilities, including an Indiana Pacers grant and a Tony Hawk grant.

Board member John Kroft asked Barufi if the in-kind donations the club has lined up will also count toward the match. “We’ll look into that,” said Barufi.

“The most important thing is to raise more money to realize some of these chances,” added Emanuele.

Land, More Land

This reporter asked whether land acquisition would be included in the five-year master plan.

“We’re always looking,” said Emanuele. The increased development here creates two sides to the same problem: more people means the need for more land set aside for parks and more development means an upward pressure on land prices.

“With our budget, it just hasn’t been possible,” he added. “As much as the town is growing and as much as we’d like to, the cost is prohibitive.”

“We plan to use CEDIT to develop the land we already have,” said board member Roy Flaherty.

Emanuele noted that the National Park Land Standard recommends one acre of park land for every 1,000 people. Chesterton, at an estimated population of 10,000, said Mathias, has twelve acres of parks-just above the minimum recommended standard. Once the new soccer fields at Dogwood are developed, Mathias said, that acreage total will rise some.

Adding in the surrounding Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, the Indiana Dunes State Park and other park units in the area, Chesterton residents experience a much higher availability of park land.

“Indiana may be low, it’s actually the lowest,” noted Emanuele, “but we right here enjoy much more parks.”

“Over the years we have always said we’d like more,” he added. “Endowing land anyone?” he joked.

“It would be nice,” added board member Ted Jacobs.

“If something came up, we’d look at it,” said Mathias.

From there the board segued into a discussion of possible fee generating park programs.

“Realistically we’re not going to get much more,” in the operating budget noted Kroft.

On a wish list for Emanuele is a park owned golf course. Kroft mentioned the possibility of a park community building; large enough to hold a 200 to 300 guest banquet added Flaherty.

Currently, the only major fee generation comes from the softball leagues, noted Kroft.

Highland has a nice fieldhouse that stays busy, said Jacobs, which includes space for both toddler and senior daycare centers.

The park board had the idea once of acquiring Victory Park, the batting and driving range.

“The problem is the initial outlay,” said Emanuele.

Board members agreed that it is at least possible that future CEDIT funds could make some of these ideas possible.

Barufi enthusiastically added “We’ll get this Extreme Sport complex built and find something else to build.”

Board members asked Barufi if his group had considered fees for use of the Extreme Sport complex. “No,” he responded, but acknowledged that a tiered system, or club memberships could be considered. The problem there, he added, would be the need for full-time staff on site.

The meeting closed with all in agreement that further investigation of the possible uses of CEDIT funds would be helpful.

Posted 11/17/2004