Officials from the Town of North Judson are seeking an Indiana Department of Natural Resources Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant to make improvements to the Town Park at the corner of George and Weninger Streets.
Clerk-Treasurer Andrew Rowe said the $500,000 grant, plus a $500,000 grant match from the North Judson Redevelopment Commission and funding support from the Starke County Commissioners and Council will help rebuild the park that has not seen this type of update in decades.
Rowe said the old playground equipment will be torn out, but moved toward the northern end of the park. A zip line feature is anticipated along with new slides, and a cliff rider and climbing feature.
Equipment will also be ADA accessible. There will also be a natural playground and a pergola.
Rowe said sidewalks will also be a major player in this update as they focus on ADA accessibility.
“We’ve been working on that already through a sidewalk and paving grant through the Indiana Department of Transportation so there’s a lot of interconnectivity between one side of the park to the other.”
Two pickleball courts, a shelter, and beach volleyball are also proposed in this project closer to the ball diamonds. The basketball court will be resurfaced along with the addition of more sidewalks. Permanent cornhole boards will be installed, as well as a walking trail.
“A half-mile walking trail would encompass the entire outer edge of the park and then through the play area and where the sand volleyball and pickleball is going to go. We’re giving walkers a bigger course.”
Rowe said the grant announcement should be made soon.
