A view of the renovated Lucerne Amphitheater in Warsaw. InkFreeNews photo by Dan Spalding.

WARSAW — It took some time for board members to come to an agreement regarding the rental fee for the new Lucerne Park Amphitheater, but they eventually settled on $175. 

At the Warsaw Parks & Recreation board meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 19, Parks Superintendent Larry Plummer told board members that the amphitheater has been completed. 

“We had about $211,000 in the project, but I really feel that it’s a beautiful thing that’s going to last for years,” Plummer said. He told board members the amphitheater will hold approximately 288 people now that it’s finished. 

Plummer said a rental rate needed to be established in order to get it booked. The parks department has already had several calls regarding rental of the amphitheater

Plummer suggested not requiring a damage deposit on the Lucerne Amphitheater due to having cameras in that area. Plummer said the lease agreement could include wording stating that if damage is incurred while rented, the renter would be liable. 

At last month’s meeting, Plummer suggested lowering the damage deposit at the Central Park Plaza now that security cameras have been installed. The damage deposit at the plaza is currently $250.

Board Member Larry Ladd made a motion to set the rental fee for both the Lucerne Park Amphitheater and the Central Park Plaza at $225 and to do away with damage deposit fees at both locations; however, the motion was not seconded.

Board member Michelle Boxell expressed the opinion that $225 seemed too high. 

“Central Park has been at $100 since it was built back in the 80s,” Plummer pointed out.

Ladd then made a motion to set the rental fees at $200 for both the Central Lake Plaza and the Lucerne Amphitheater, but this motion was not seconded either. 

After further discussion, Boxell made a motion to set the rental fee at both the plaza and the amphitheater at $175 and to do away with the damage deposit at both locations. This was seconded by board member Bill Baldwin. The motion passed with a 3-2 vote.

Board members reviewed rates for the other local park facilities and rentals but made no other rate changes.

“Down the road when we get the pavilion remodeled, we may look at that,” Plummer said.  

Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer provided an update about progress on the potential ice skating rink.

“We’re pretty much zeroing in on the tennis court location,” Thallemer said, referring to the tennis courts at Bixler Park.“We are scheduling a meeting with an architect to see how feasible this plot is.”

Thallemer said they are taking “baby steps” but moving forward.

“I just want to make sure folks understand —  the original location that our feasibility study showed a few years ago was obviously that pavilion next to the existing pavilion and that is not where we’re considering. We listened to you when we had our public meetings and when you set your priorities for what you wanted and there is no thought whatsoever to put it in that spot,” Thallemer told board members. “We’re looking over at the tennis courts and I just want to make sure everybody understood that because I think there is a little bit of misunderstanding about that.”

In other news:

• Maintenance Director Shaun Gardner and Recreation Director Sheila Wieringa gave brief monthly updates related to their respective departments.

• This year’s Light Up The Night event is scheduled for Dec. 6.

• The next regular meeting will be held at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17.