The Winamac Park Board will need more time to decide whether to contribute financially to the Memorial Swinging Bridge Project. It would add decorative lighting to the Town Park’s “swinging bridge” in time for its centennial in 2023.
Park Board Member Dan Murphy said there were some legal questions that had to be addressed. “It would not be an outright gift of funds, and it may be something like a pledge to pay for this much or up to this much on this particular portion of the project,” he explained. “I will tell you that in looking at the numbers, I don’t think that $25,000 is an appropriate amount.”
Board President Chris Schramm noted that the town will also be covering the cost of painting the bridge and replacing the decking. Members voted to table the matter until Town Attorney Justin Schramm has a chance to figure out the legal issues.
On top of that, while the town already had an engineering study done on the bridge, a potential donor is apparently planning another assessment. Among other things, they want to make sure that plans account for the weight of the new decking and lights.
Project organizer Greg Henry felt the concerns should have been raised earlier in the fundraising process. “He said that the weight of the snow on the lights was going to create a heavier burden to the bridge,” Henry said, “but I’ve talked to the engineers with the lighting company and they said there’d be absolutely no stress at all.”
Meanwhile, private donations keep coming in. The project committee announced this week that a fundraising challenge continues between the classes of 1970 and 1971. The Class of 1970 was ahead after donating $1,670.
