The Winamac Park Board is revisiting plans to upgrade the landscaping near the entrance to the fairgrounds, but getting it done it time for this year’s 4-H Fair may prove to be a challenge. Last year, the park board agreed to let the Pulaski County Jr. Leaders replace the entrance sign, remove most of the bushes surrounding it, and replace the wooden posts used as edging.
While the new sign has been installed, fair organizers haven’t been able to complete the landscaping upgrades, according to Park Board Member Jon Chapman. “That person no longer is with their organization, so they’re kind of scrambling to try to come up with something just to make that front part look presentable,” he explained during last week’s park board meeting. “I’d really like to suggest that we consider partnering with them and getting a contractor in there to get the old posts out, get new posts in.”
Chapman also suggested installing larger landscaping stone in the area, “But leave room or the ability for them to put potted plants for color, for the week of the 4-H Fair, for Power from the Past, and nobody has to maintain them when those events are over. I don’t think it would be that expensive for us to partner with them, and I think they do have a little money left that was going to go towards that bigger project.”
While the rest of the park board liked the idea of the landscaping stone, Park Manager Dave DeLorenzo suggested surrounding the area with a concrete curb, rather than continuing to use wooden posts. Most of the board members didn’t think there was enough time to install a curb before the fair starts on June 29, but Board Member Brad Zellers said he knew of someone who might be able to help. “There’s somebody that could maybe put that curb in, in a matter of a few days, if those posts were out of the way, and maybe they would donate a little time,” Zellers said. “You know, I can’t see patching it 10 different times by putting something in, then that’s got to come out, then you’ve got to move more to do something else. And there’s one way to do it and do it right.”
In other business last week, the Winamac Park Board approved a request from Chad and Katie Burton to hold a color run to raise money for mitochondrial disease research. It will be held the morning of Saturday, July 27 at the Town Park.
The park board also moved its next regular meeting to Thursday, July 11.
