By LAUREN ZEUGNER
Staff Writer
[email protected] 

Chad Jonsson, Syracuse Park superintendent and executive director of the Syracuse Park Foundation, updated his board this week on the progress of the Syracuse Youth Athletic Complex.

A deposit has been made to Pacemaker Buildings for the maintenance and concession buildings. Drawings of the buildings are currently under review by the state. Once approved, the athletic complex committee will seek building permits.

Jonsson is working with Ritter Electric on bringing power to the field. NIPSCO will be bringing phase-three power off Brooklyn Street and Ritter Electric will be hooking it up for the irrigation well. Phase-three power will also allow the fields to be lit at night in the future.

The irrigation well is expected to be installed within the next couple of weeks. Hochstetler Lawn and Landscape is reseeding the field and waiting for rain.

Center driveways at the complex are also being worked on. Buyrite has donated fertilizer and staff to maintain the facility for a year.

Infields and fencing will be installed later this summer after the irrigation system has been installed.

The sports complex has about $170,000 in pledges and guarantees, not counting upcoming fundraisers and a possible donation by the town.

Dr. Tom Edington, president of the foundation board, asked if naming rights are available. Jonsson said yes, Lake City Bank has received a naming right for the scoreboards after making a pledge and the Lions Club will have a tee ball field named after it.

It is hoped the annual pump, pass and kick event held in August will be held at the complex. If the fields aren’t ready by then, Jonsson said hopefully the last couple of football games could be played there.

In an update on the Syracuse-Wawasee Trail, new sidewalk has been installed along Cornelius from Wawasee Boat Co., to the corner of Warner Road. Several options are being explored to go along Warner Road and hook the trail up to the Nicholas segment along Eli Lilly Road.

Wawasee Kiwanis Club had a workday Saturday along Mudd Lake. Several turned out to help clear debris.

A trailer has been purchased for the new mower for $5,200.

In new business, the board accepted the resignation “with regret and thanks,” of board member Ed Phillipp. He and his wife, Linda, are moving to be closer to family in Florida.

Jonsson asked board members to help find new board members for the foundation.

Edington spoke briefly about a new program the Wawasee Community School Corp. will be undertaking. Since more than 50 percent of students are eligible for free or reduced lunches, a summer lunch program will be launched in the school corporation. Various locations are being looked at to distribute the lunches to school age children, Lakeside Park being one of them.

Edington explained the school corporation is talking to Goshen Community Schools and Warsaw Community Schools about how they run their summer lunch programs. He also said the rules for running such a program are pretty extensive.

In the financial report, Donn Baird pointed out there is $83,925 at Key Bank for the athletic complex. There is currently $130,890.23 on hand for the complex. There is $88,638.15 in the trail account with $15,187.60 in the maintenance fund. In the community center reserve fund, $33,819.51 was spent on the recent renovations to the building.