Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Bud's Garden work approved at Hawthorne Park; mock South Shore disaster drill slated

Back To Front Page

By PAULENE POPARAD

The Porter Town Council appropriated $6,500 Tuesday for a memorial garden at Hawthorne Park that fulfills the wishes of the late Bud Tilden, a two-time Porter Citizen of the Year and past member of four town boards and commissions.

Tilden willed the Park Department a monetary donation upon his passing in 2011 to develop a garden in memory of his parents William and Margaret.

Park director Brian Bugajski displayed plans for Bud’s Garden to be located at the former fountain planter on the south side of vacated Rankin Street across from the Hawthorne Park ballfield. Architect Scott Virtue donated his services to prepare the site plan.

Some of the original surfaces like concrete curbing and walks will remain for the 52 foot-wide circular feature area.

Bugajski said Bud’s Garden will be accessible and incorporate original Porter brick pavers with crushed stone pathways encircling a new central water feature ringed by four park benches. Planter beds will enhance the project.

Corinne Peffers believes Bud would approve.

“I think it’s a great idea and a great way to honor my grandfather and my great-grandparents. It’s using something that hasn’t been used in a long time, and beautifying an area with trees and flowers,” she said.

Bugajski said he’s hoping the historic Porter brick will be donated and that much of the construction work can be done in-house by Porter town departments. Volunteer days will be scheduled and a ribbon-cutting ceremony tentatively is slated for September.

During his comments Bugajski also said the Park Department raised about $850 at a recent spaghetti dinner fundraiser hosted by Fazoli’s.

Fire activites announced

Assistant Porter fire chief Jay Craig said department members will be soliciting donations for the Indiana Burn Camp this Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Wagner Road and Beam Street intersection and possibly at others. During the afternoon firefighters will do extrication training at the fire station.

May 31 Porter will participate in a mass casualty drill on the South Shore tracks necessitating the closure of U.S. 12 between Waverly and Wagner roads at 8 a.m. Several agencies including NICTD, Porter County Emergency Management and hospitals will be involved.

Craig said residents should be aware ambulances and helicopters could be present during the training event.

Craig also said the new computer system onboard fire vehicles was slated to go 100 percent active this week giving responders more information than ever before. At his request the Town Council authorized Craig to seek $1,937 from the Westchester Township Board to fund new software and maintenance of a more-reliable fire reporting system.

Police dispatch change near

Porter police chief James Spanier said it’s been a long time coming but it appears the scheduled May 28 merger of the Porter and Chesterton police dispatch centers is going well. The center will be located at the Porter Police station.

Spanier indicated the consolidation is requiring the towns to obtain a regional dispatch license; both Town Councils will be asked to adopt resolutions authorizing it.

On another matter, the chief said a recent 1/2-marathon in Porter was a learning experience that showed a road race of that length is too much for the Police Department to handle because of the number of officers needed to close and monitor roads.

The Town Council approved an assembly permit for Discovery Charter School to host a fun run May 23 from 12:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.

Clerk-treasurer Carol Pomeroy again urged Porter residents not to fill their swimming pools prior to June 16 or they will not receive the discounted summer sewer rate based on water usage.

 

 

Posted 5/16/2014

 
 

 

 

 

Â