Rotary Club Breaks Ground On Trailhead ParkBy the time the Warsaw Rotary Club is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2019, city and club officials hope the new Rotary Park at the corner of West Center and Market streets will be completed.
Midday Friday, the city and Rotary Club held a groundbreaking ceremony for the trailhead park that will serve Warsaw’s west side with vehicle and bicycle parking, green space, a bicycle repair station, a covered pavilion and a rock wall/playground equipment.
The trailhead also will support the Ride+Walk Warsaw+Winona Lake master plan that was adopted Feb. 4, 2013, by the Warsaw Common Council, according to the city.
At the ceremony, Rotary Club District 6540 Governor Lisa Waterman told the Warsaw Rotary Club members present, “I really wanted to take a minute and say it’s an absolute honor to be here with you. And I feel almost silly doing this shovel because it’s all your work that made this possible. ... I applaud you because you’re making a difference in your community.”
She said everyone has worked to make what’s going to be an “amazing” park. She also gave kudos to Warsaw Assistant City Planner Justin Taylor for his artistic vision of the park.
The first phase of the park will focus on the pavilion. The second phase will introduce playground equipment.
After the ceremony, Taylor said they’re working to make the site level. “After that, we’re going to let all the dirt freeze-thaw over the winter because it’s not good to build on, on that much fill. And then in the spring of 2018, early summer, we’re going to put in the shelter and do some of the new sidewalks around the site,” he said.
Phase II will focus on playground equipment as funds become available, he said.
“But we’re hoping to get it done soon,” Taylor said.
The Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department purchased the property in early 2017 from George Clemens, Rabb-Kinetico Water Systems Inc. co-owner, and Chandler Williams, Times-Union co-owner, for the assessed value of $15,000. The Warsaw Rotary Club will fund development of the park.
Warsaw Parks Superintendent Larry Plummer said, “I think it’s a necessity that we have this. It was great that the Rotary and Justin came up with this idea because it will connect the greenway and give people stops along the way.”
He said the city has the Chinworth Bridge along Old 30 West, will have the Rotary Park stop, it has the Krebs Trailhead Park on East Market Street and “it will go into Winona Lake. So, just like many other communities, we have stops along the way on the greenway trail and I think it’s very important. I think the community will enjoy it and love it and use it.”
Warsaw Rotary President DeeAnna Muraski said the group’s social committee has done a “great job” of raising funds.
Rotary has committed to raising at least $30,000 for the project, with $25,179 raised by the end of June. An ongoing fundraiser allows individuals to purchase 4-by-8-inch or 8-by-8-inch pavers to honor loved ones or veterans. The pavers will be used in the park.
Muraski said, they’d “really love” to have the whole park finished by 2019 “so we can unveil this as our 100-year project.”
