Pictured, from left, Parks Superintendent Larry Plummer and Design Collaborative Architect Ron Dick.

WARSAW — Discussion at the Warsaw Parks and Recreation board meeting held Tuesday, Aug. 21, centered around the Central Park master plan. Ron Dick and Jerod Monce, architects with Design Collaborative, Fort Wayne, attended the meeting to provide an update presentation. 

“Center Lake beach is one of the key attractions for the park as well as the pier, which is a longstanding attraction for the lake and the park; however, you’re probably all aware that the pier itself and the construction of the pier is creating some issues,” said Dick. “Currently, water cannot flow underneath it and this is creating some issues with E.coli on the east side of the pier.”

“The pavilion is a great amenity,” Dick continued. “The direction is for it to stay and be enhanced. The centerpiece of the development is the pavilion itself.”

In further discussion, Dick explained that the master plan calls for the pavilion to be renovated and extended toward the lake. “One of the key features is an open air pavilion,” said Dick.

“We are proposing to add about 16 feet to the northern side of the pavilion, and this will add about 1,200 square feet to the lower level and about 800 square feet to the upper level” said Monce, “We’re also showing a new conference center which will serve as potential for a secondary event space.”

Warsaw Parks Department Recreation Director Sheila Wierenga.

Warsaw Parks Superintendent Larry Plummer informed board members that the iStrike Lightning Detection System should ship within the next week. At the June board meeting, Plummer announced that the parks department received a grant in the amount of $19,992 from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation for a lightning detection system.

According to Plummer, the iStrike Lightning Detection System will be installed at Center Lake, Pike Lake, Glover Pavilion and the campground area. Plummer described iStrike as a cellular-based system that can be customized to trigger an alarm and strobe light when lightning strikes in a predetermined mileage radius.

Dan Alwine, representing the Warsaw Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, requested permission from board members to set up a mobile literature cart at the Center Lake Park area for approximately two hours a day. 

“On Fridays we have a cart set up at the Justice Building,” said Alwine. “We talk to people only if they are communicating with us. If someone shows some interest, we try to answer their questions.”

“In the past, we’ve always pretty well refused to let anyone put monuments or carts or anything at the park mainly because it opens it up to things we maybe wouldn’t want there,” said Parks Board President Steve Haines.

“It’s been the direction of the board in the past to not allow anyone to set up at the park,” said Plummer. Board members voted to deny the request. Alwine expressed understanding for the decision and thanked board members for allowing him to speak at the meeting. 

In his monthly report, Maintenance Director Shaun Gardner described being busy with storm cleanup, referring to damage sustained in the area after a tornado touched down near Pike Lake earlier this month, as well as damage that occurred at Lucerne Park after a tree was struck by lightning Monday, Aug. 20. 

“It shot lumber from the tree across the street. It was crazy. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life,” said Gardner. 

Other News: 

• Recreation Director Sheila Wieringa gave a monthly recreation update. 
• The next regular meeting will be held at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, Sept.18.