Winona Lake Parks Department held a ribbon-cutting for the Grossnickle Pavilion at Limitless Park Friday. Photo by Jackie Gorski, Times-Union.

By Jackie Gorski
Times-Union

WINONA LAKE — Winona Lake Park Department and Board celebrated the completion of the Grossnickle Pavilion at Limitless Park Friday, March 14,  with a ribbon-cutting.

Meghan Smith, board member, said the Grossnickle Pavilion is part of the finishing touches that is part of the park upgrade.

The $3 million park upgrade project included finishing the playground, fixing up the fire pit and doing sidewalks and drainage. Josh Gordon, chief financial officer of Grossnickle Eye Care, “jumped onboard in support pretty much right away about three-and-a-half years ago,” she said. About $10,000 was donated between the Grossnickle Foundation through the Kosciusko County Community Foundation and the Grossnickle Eye Care toward the project.

Gordon, who was at the ribbon-cutting with Allie Leek, Ambulatory Surgery Center administrator at Grossnickle Eye Center, and Sue Hanson, clinic administrator at Grossnickle Eye Center, said the eye center thinks it’s important to give money back to the community that’s given them so much.

“We wanted to commemorate that significant donation in some way,” so the idea Park Director Holly Hummitch had was to have a pavilion on the south side of the park. Due to the SplashPad and the beach being used for kid’s birthday parties and things like that, Smith said there was always an idea to put a pavilion on that side of the park.

Smith said the cost of building the pavilion was about $18,000. Winona Lake Councilman Austin Reynolds and Seth Kamp, as well street department staff, helped build the pavilion, Hummitch said.

The pavilion couldn’t be erected until the rest of the park project had been finished in the fall. Smith said the pavilion is now available to rent for parties and events.

If someone is interested in renting the pavilion, they can contact the town office.

There are plans on installing a grill next to the pavilion.The pavilion is an additional gathering space with access to the beach and shade, Smith said.

Gordon said he hopes the community can use and enjoy the pavilion and it’s a good enhancement to Limitless Park.