Yellow River kayak launches, more parking improvements at the Starke County Forest, and unified signage are a few of the projects the Starke County Park Board is hoping to tackle in the coming months.
County Commissioner Kathy Norem recently asked board members for their priorities within the board’s five-year plan, as she works to convince the county council to give the park board its first-ever dedicated budget. As of this month’s park board meeting, her proposal was at $36,000.
One of the big priorities is the installation of at least one kayak launch. The park board has already gotten $5,000 in grant funding for that purpose, but so far, members haven’t finalized a suitable location. They agreed to continue looking at potential sites this fall, with the possibility of working on the installation next year.
Meanwhile, the Starke County Forest got an upgraded access road and parking area a few years ago but still lacks delineated parking spaces or specific ADA parking. Board member and county highway superintendent Rik Ritzler believed that work could be done for about $1,000. He also felt that additional signage for the forest could be added for about $2,000. It was felt that cost may be able to be covered by Constellation of Starke’s Stellar Communities finalist money. Installing unified signage at all of the county’s park properties could cost $15,000, according to Ritzler’s estimates.
Behind the scenes, officials also hope to build relationships with various groups, to pave the way for future improvements. Working with representatives from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources could help lead to future upgrades along the Yellow River and at Koontz Lake. County officials also suggested revisiting the idea of leasing the North Judson Erie Trail from the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum and possibly taking ownership of the Koontz Lake Lions Club Memorial Park. That could open the door to maintenance resources from the county, as well as additional grant opportunities.
Norem’s proposed budget also included funding for a contracted secretary, a map of the Starke County Forest, and beaver control at the forest, among other items. She was scheduled to discuss the budget with council members earlier this month.
