The Town of North Judson is taking steps to make it easier to raise funds for park equipment. The town council recently established a dedicated Recreational Equipment Fund.
That will give the town a place to deposit donations to buy, maintain, or repair equipment, such as benches and picnic tables for the new splash pad. Clerk-Treasurer Andrew Rowe noted that a Park Beautification Fund already exists, but he felt starting a new independent fund would be an easier option.
In the longer term, North Judson may also be setting its sights on funding from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Mitch Hansel with Fleis & VandenBrink told council members that the DNR has seen a major increase in federal Land and Water Conservation Fund money, which it then distributes as matching grants for park projects.
But in order to get that money, the town has to have a five-year parks master plan, and North Judson’s expired in 2010. Fleis & VandenBrink is offering to help put a new plan together, for a cost ranging from $6,000 to $7,400. That would make the town eligible to apply for the grant next year.
No action was taken on the proposal, but town officials agreed to discuss it with the North Judson Park Board. Rowe said that both the town’s comprehensive plan and Constellation of Starke’s regional development plan mention specific park projects, but don’t provide a master plan for the park system.
