Pictured in the center, Lakesha Green, the executive director of the Wagon Wheel Performing Arts Center, was joined by a dozen other Wagon Wheel board members and staff who stood in support of the request for money for roof repairs during a meeting of the Kosciusko County Convention, Recreation and Visitors Commission. Board members with their backs to the camera are Jessica Hartman (L) and John Hall. InkFreeNews photo by Dan Spalding.

By Dan Spalding
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — The Kosciusko County board overseeing the spending of tourism revenues approved plans Wednesday, Nov. 9, that will benefit groups associated with theater, bicycling, college basketball, and even pickleball.

A handful of groups received approval, after pitching requests for money, from the Kosciusko County Convention, Recreation & Visitors Commission on Wednesday, Nov. 9.

Wagon Wheel Center For The Arts, which owns the White Hill Manor adjacent to the theatre, received $81,000 for roof repairs to the building, which has been used for several seasons to house actors.

White Hill Manor was built nearly 90 years ago at the request of Justin Zimmer, founder of Zimmer Inc., and is considered a landmark tourism spot. It had previously been used as a bed and breakfast but was “gifted” to Wagon Wheel in 2017.

But serious roof issues forced the closure of the building in 2021 and it has sat empty since then.

With the facility temporarily shuttered, Wagon Wheel will be spending $25,000 to cover the cost of a hotel for four weeks for actors who are part of the upcoming “Sound of Music.”

“That money, coming out of our operational budget, has a huge impact on our bottom line and our cash flow,” said Elisa Wise, director of donor relations.

The building can house about 13 actors, she said.

The roof work is considered phase one and should be complete by the end of the year.

Future work will address some structural and aesthetic issues, Green said.

Wise was joined by Lakesha Green, executive director of Wagon Wheel, and about ten other Wagon Wheel board members and staff who stood in support of the request.

Green said the current improvements are an investment in the future that would resolve roofing concerns for decades.

KCCRVC members were given financial figures and other details from Wagon Wheel.

The entire roof has had numerous leaks and caused some damage, including rotted window frames.

Repairing parts of the slate roof have been slow and intricate, the board was told by one of the contractors involved in the work.

Officials hope to have the work completed by the end of the year.

In another request, the City-County Athletic Complex was given approval for a request for $50,000 to replace the floor used in the indoor activities building.

A representative of the CCAC said they lost support from one pickleball group this year because of safety concerns with the floor.

He said they plan to install lines on the new flooring for three pickleball courts and one basketball court.

Other requests that were approved:

• $5,000 to Grace College to assist in the plans for the NCCA Basketball Championship event.
• $22,000 to KCV Cycling Club, which operates the Fat & Skinner Tire Fest
• $5,000 to Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams for operations.

A request from Lake City Skiers for $71,800 for the purchase of additional bleachers was set aside and will be reconsidered early next year.

Chuck McLaughlin, representing the skiing group, said attendance has been on the rise in the past year and that they are lining up new events for next year.

Attendance for ski shows has been so strong, he said, that they need additional seating, he said.

He said they looked into leasing bleachers but found it to be cost-prohibitive.

In a related matter, Kosciusko County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau announced it will be taking over management of the recently established promotional effort known as Clearly Kosciusko.

Cori Humes, executive director for the CVB, told the commission the CVB will oversee the management of the work as well as the trademark.

Lilly Lakes and Streams started the initiative several years ago and has worked alongside the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce and Kosciusko Economic Development Corp. to produce the campaign.

The involvement with those groups will continue, Humes said.