Ryan Workman, stormwater coordinator for the city of Warsaw.

WARSAW — Tuesday, Feb. 20, at the Warsaw Parks and Recreation Board meeting, board members reviewed the 2018 Special Project Action Plan Matrix, a list of things the Parks Department hopes to accomplish this year. This includes phase two of the LED light replacement at the Pete Thorn building, installation of new park hour signs at all parks, Rotary Park shelter, new tiles at Kiddieland Park on Canal Street, completion of basketball courts at Dubois Park, table replacement at Central Park, bench swing replacement at Pike Lake, corn hole concrete boards at Pike Lake Campgrounds, playground purchase for Kelly Park, replacement of the merry-go-round at Beyer Park and new siding on the Firemen’s Building on Arthur Street.

Ryan Workman, stormwater coordinator for the city of Warsaw, attended the meeting to discuss the shoreline stabilization project. “Erosion, while it is a natural process, can quicken the aging process for lakes,” said Workman. He pointed to Kelly Pond as an example.

“Kelly Pond used to be fishable,” said Workman. “There used to be a lot of fish there and it was beautiful. But over time, lots of sediment ended up in there.”

The shoreline stabilization project is part of the Warsaw Parks and Recreation 2017-2021 Master Plan. Coir logs, rolls of densely packed fibers, have been embedded along the banks at Lucerne Park in order to create a natural control area to establish growth and assist in controlling erosion.

Warsaw Parks Superintendent Larry Plummer advised that NIPSCO will begin work Feb. 28, installing a six inch gas main on a stretch of SR 15, from the McDonalds North property to the gas station on Canal Street.

“With the whole Buffalo Street project, it’s going to be busy in that area,” said Plummer.

“We’ve also talked to Seldge Construction,” Plummer added. “They’re dong the pump station at Nye Youth Cabin, so the alleyway and street will be torn up through there.” Plummer said work in that area could start sometime in April or May and might last through November.

According to Plummer, alternative arrangements were made for residents who had reserved the building for events during that time frame. Plummer advised they are not currently accepting reservations for the Nye Youth Cabin due to the upcoming construction.

Staci Light, assistant director of Warsaw Community Schools Food and Nutrition Services, requested permission to use Bixler Park again this summer for the USDA Summer Feeding Program. 2018 marks year 12 that meal services have been provided during the summer months. This request was approved.

The year end report was discussed, which outlined accomplishments for the 2017 year, such as replacement of the letter board sign on Detroit Street with the new Daktronics electronic message board, new restrooms at Richardson Dubois Park, continued work on Beyer Trail, phase one of the replacement of interior lights with LED lights at the Pete Thorn Center and improvements at Pike Lake Campground as well as equipment purchases.

The next regular meeting will be held at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, March 20.