Winona Lake Park Board President Kristie Maiers, standing, speaks at the Winona Lake Town Council meeting on Tuesday, July 18, at Winona Lake Town Hall. InkFreeNews photo by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WINONA LAKE — Winona Lake has completed a step related to the process for a $500,000 grant to complete Winona Lake Limitless Park.

At a meeting on Tuesday, July 18, the Winona Lake Town Council approved a memorandum of understanding with the Winona Lake Park Board to state the town maintains the greenway which comes through park property.

That’s just a formality of communicating park assets with the U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of State Parks as the town finalizes receiving the Land and Water Conservation Grant through those entities.

Winona Lake Parks Department Director Holly Hummitch had said last year finishing WLLP includes “a full completion of the playground, (the addition of) walk paths for connectivity … parking at (Winona Lake) Town Hall and a remodel or revamp of the old restroom facility.”

Town Events

The council also heard about various upcoming activities in town.

The Jazz Festival is noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 22, at Miller Sunset Pavilion. Also that day is the Splish Splash event at Winona Lake Limitless Park from noon to 4 p.m. Kids can enjoy water inflatables for $2.

The town’s annual Family Fest for residents is 3-6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5, at Miller Sunset Pavilion and includes dinner and activities. Everyone is invited to the Back to School Lunch with the Winona Lake Police Department from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Aug. 7, at WLLP.

In other business, the council:

• Chose not to approve a bill for legal services from Birch Kaufman LLC for Town Clerk-Treasurer Laurie Renier. The council had tabled it from June’s meeting due to wanting input from Town Attorney Adam Turner. Turner said he had advised the council of town law that the clerk-treasurer “can hire outside services up to $5,000 without approval of council if those things are budgeted.” “So there’s some question and determination of whether or not this general legal fund is part of the clerk’s office or if it’s separate,” Turner continued, adding he wanted to stay neutral as his own legal fees come out of that town fund and it was the council’s decision.
• Approved creating a fund for administrative purposes for Miller Sunset Pavilion for monies coming in and out, including for any donations. It will function like any other town fund.
• Approved an agreement with Global Paving to extend Heritage Trail east from Lakeland Christian Academy to Raccoon Run. The council had tabled approving it last month due to wanting further discussion. Town Manager Craig Allebach noted the company had only raised the cost slightly from its original one in 2021, with its new one being $328,936, up from $328,000 previously.
• Approved allowing the WLPD to purchase Indianapolis Colts tickets with funds donated for that purpose from the Dane and Mary Louise Miller Foundation. It allows the WLPD to take Lakeland Christian Academy eighth graders going through the D.A.R.E. program to the game and participate in a “Faith and Football” event afterward, whereby “certain players and coaching staff … come out and talk about their faith and how they live their life everyday.”
• Designated Friday, July 21, as Park and Recreation Professionals Day, which Hummitch noted was “a way to publicly recognize and thank not only the park board but all of my staff.”

The council’s next meeting is 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15, at town hall.