Planning Continues for Walking Trail, Other Improvements at Hamlet Town Park

The Hamlet Park Board may soon get cost estimates for the addition of a walking trail in the Town Park. A few ideas for how to pay for the proposed trail were brought to the board Wednesday.

It was suggested that the town could use revenues from the annual Haunted Fairgrounds event or partner with the American Legion to raise funds and dedicate the trail in memory of a fallen soldier from Hamlet. Board members said they’d be interested in the partnership and talked about getting quotes. That will allow the proposal to go to the Legion’s board for further consideration.

Board President Dave Kesvormas felt the walking trail would be a good addition. “I think we’ve nailed everything down, to the bicycle kids, we’ve got some of the little kids’ stuff out there,” he said. “We’ve bought little things here and there every year. I think we’re at the point right now where we probably need to get something for the older kids or the older people to utilize the park.”

A list of Hamlet Town Park upgrades is being considered for inclusion in Constellation of Starke’s Stellar Community plans. Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Larry Wickert told town officials Wednesday that planning consultant DLZ has finished drawing up plans for the park projects.

He explained that what gets included in the final proposal depends upon how much money the town could make available for a local match. “We’ll need to know in August. I think it’s early September, we have to know,” he explained. “If you guys can’t use all the money, if you don’t have enough match for it, we’d move some of it to another area, where they might have enough match for it.” Wickert suggested that town officials talk to the Starke County Community Foundation to try to get private donations, to supplement town funding.

Constellation of Starke is one of four finalist regions for this year’s Stellar designation. The winner is scheduled to be announced in December.