WARSAW — At the Warsaw Parks & Recreation board meeting Tuesday, April 16, Parks Superintendent Larry Plummer received approval to move forward with design work for the Center Lake Pavilion.  

Plummer brought board members up to date regarding schematic design plans for renovation of the pavilion. The design includes two options for the main room inside. The first one features an open truss ceiling design with exposed ductwork. In the second design, the ceiling is similar to the current one but with additional lighting. 

Plummer said the total cost for renovation of the pavilion is $1.9 million dollars. The open truss design would drive the price up an additional $75,000 to $85,000. 

The next step to this process, said Plummer, would be design development and construction guidelines. Once that phase is done, it would then be ready to go to bid at anytime.

“Whether we have the funds to do this right now or, you know, two, four, six years down the road, whatever that takes,” said Plummer, “if we wanted to go ahead with the design development, that’s something that the architect and Jeremy (Skinner, city planner) felt that we could go ahead and get done and then at any time the funds are there we’d have that part done and it could go to bid and into construction.”

Board members unanimously approved moving forward with the design development.

Regarding the Lucerne Park Amphitheater, Plummer said the new design will hold an estimated 260 people. Total cost for this project is estimated to be at or below the $150,000 mark the park department budgeted. Board members gave approval to proceed with the amphitheater project.

Grants from the K21 Foundation and the Dr. Dane & Mary Louise Miller Foundation were received for Kelly Park  renovations, which will include the addition of pickleball courts.

“We’re really excited that we’re bringing pickleball to our park system,” said Plummer. “I think it’s gonna balloon and a lot of people will play it.”

“We’ve talked with the Pickleball Fanatics and they’re interested in helping us provide some recreational opportunities with Sheila to teach and how to play, so a lot can go on out there,” Plummer added.

Recreation Director Sheila Wieringa still has one spot open for a seasonal skate park employee, and the parks department is in need of lifeguards. Plummer advised if they are short-staffed in the lifeguard department again this summer, it may be a similar situation to last summer when the beaches were unsupervised at certain times.

Other News:

• March 2019 meeting minutes were approved.
• Maintenance Director Shaun Gardner said the Pike Lake Campground is now open. 
• The maintenance department is currently hiring seasonal summer laborers. Further information may be found on the website.
• The next regular meeting will be held at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, May 21. 

“I spy with my little eye…” (Photo taken at Central Park in Warsaw)