Pike Lake Campground is located at 1011 E. Arthur St., Warsaw. InkFreeNews photo by Lasca Randels.

By Lasca Randels
InkFreeNews

WARSAW —  Although rental fees for Warsaw Parks Department buildings will remain the same for 2022, rates were increased at the Pike Lake Campground.

The Warsaw Parks and Recreation Board reviewed the current rental fee list at their meeting Tuesday, Nov. 16.

Pike Lake Campground fees are currently set at $40 per day, $210 per week, $525 per month and $2,100 seasonal. 

After some discussion, Parks Board Vice President Larry Ladd suggested raising campground reservation fees to $250 per week, $600 per month, $2,200 seasonal and to raise the seasonal dock rental from $150 to $200 in 2022.

“I think that’s comparable to other places I go camping and with what amenities we provide,” said Councilwoman Diane Quance. 

The Board approved the rate increase.

The Board also reviewed a list of parks department proposed program and event fees for 2022.

Warsaw Parks Recreation Director Stephanie Schaefer recommended that fees be raised for two events: Nature Explorers and Dino Dig, with the cost for Nature Explorers going from $5 to $7, and the price for Dino Dig being raised from $5 to $8. 

This is due to the cost of products and items for those events.

The Board approved the increase.

Free events hosted by the parks department include the Blues & Lakes Festival, Classic Rock concert, community canoeing sessions and paddleboarding sessions, country music concert, Fall Family Fun, Family Game Night, three family movie night events in Central Park, the holiday light display, Imagination Station, the Kids’ Fishing Derby, library stories in the park, Light Up the Night, three events at Mantis Skate Park, Slip ’n Slide Luau, the Summer Concert Series, swim lesson sessions, Touch-a-Truck and the new Wipeout event.

In another matter, kayak kiosks will be available next spring at Pike and Center Lakes.

Warsaw Parks Superintendent Larry Plummer said after discussion with Rent Fund, the provider for the blue tooth lock system for the kiosks, their suggestion was to charge $15 an hour and $40 for four hours on rentals.

“We had first looked at doing a daily rental, but he said you’ll actually lose revenue doing a daily rental because most people won’t go out on a kayak and spend all day out there, but you’ve got your kayak tied up, so if you do a max of four hours then the kayak comes in and you could potentially get two or three rentals out of the kayak per day, so it made sense to me,” Plummer said.

Motion was passed to approve the recommended fees for the kayak kiosks.

Plummer said Young Tigers Football will be operating a hot chocolate concession stand in the parks area again this year so that visitors may purchase hot chocolate and popcorn while touring the Christmas display at Central Park.

The concession stand will be open from 5-10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights in December and from 5-9 p.m. on Sunday nights. Christmas Eve hours will be 5-11 p.m. 

In other news:

• The 2021 Light Up the Night event will take place from 6-8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3.
• A COVID vaccination clinic is taking place from noon-8 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, Nov. 17-19, at Center Lake Pavilion in Warsaw.
• The next regular meeting is 5:15 p.m. Dec. 21. 

Center Lake Pavilion in Warsaw is located at 119 E. Canal St. InkFreeNews photo by Lasca Randels