Lt. Gov, Sue Ellspermann announced today the Indiana Office of Tourism Development and Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs awarded 11 communities funding for quality of place initiatives through the Place Based Investment Fund.

Winona Lake Limitless Park was among the 11 communities and will receive grant funds ranging from $25,000 to $50,000 to fund the park. The grants are for parks, public venus and other quality of place projects. Other cities receiving the grant funds are: Corydon, Evansville, Fountain City, Greenfield, Lafayette, North Manchester, Orleans, Peru, Rushville, and Washington.

The limitless park is a community project that will allow all community members an opportunity to enjoy a universally accessible public recreation destination. This is the only inclusive recreation area within a 50-mile area and will build upon a very large area complete with splash pad, playground, natural play area, trailhead, landscaping, concrete paths, signage, and infrastructure modifications necessary to accommodate all park goers. Partners of this project include the Town of Winona Lake, Kosciusko County Convention, Recreation and Visitor Commission, Kosciusko Community Foundation, and the Orthopedic Capital Foundation/Orthoworx.

“I commend the initiative taken by the leadership in these 11 communities in determining the best opportunities for local placemaking projects,” noted Ellspermann. “The Place Based Investment Fund rewards creativity, ingenuity and collaboration and the end results will benefit local communities and citizens for years to come.”

The PBIF program, now in its third year, is a $500,000 competitive matching grant program administered as a partnership between IOTD and OCRA, both are agencies within the Office of the Lt. Governor. The grant program supports community and economic development projects across the state. Initiatives that promote quality of life, improve tourism experiences and develop multi-purpose gathering places are specifically targeted for the grant.

Performance-based quality of place initiatives that maximize investment and collaboration by local governments, economic development organizations, convention and visitor bureaus, Indiana Main Street organizations, public or private schools and community foundations are the intended recipients of these grants. The aim of the program is to provide funding opportunities for unique projects and programs that seek to create jobs and further establish a diverse local, regional and state economy.

For more information on PBIF, visit www.in.gov/ocra/PBIF.htm.

Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann oversees the Indiana Office of Tourism Development Mark Newman serves as IOTD’s executive director. IOTD is dedicated to enhancing the economic vitality of Indiana through leadership and resource support to the Indiana travel industry for awareness-building, product development and job creation. Further information can be found at www.VisitIndiana.com.

The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs works with local, state and national partners to provide resources and technical assistance to aid communities in shaping their vision for economic development. For additional information on OCRA and its programs visit www.ocra.in.gov.