At the Kosciusko County Parks and Recreation Board’s meeting on Thursday, Oct. 20, are from left: Board Member Aggie Sweeney, Board Vice President Troy Turley, Board President Rob Bishop and Board Members Matt Metzger and Mike Cusick. InkFreeNews photo by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — The Kosciusko County Parks and Recreation Board is continuing to work on a five-year master plan.

At its meeting on Thursday, Oct. 20, two representatives from the Michiana Council of Governments, Donny Ritsema and Sofia Gladun participated. MACOG is helping the board develop the master plan, which among other things, will help with applying for parks-related grants.

Also at the meeting were some of the members of a steering committee chosen to help formulate the plan.

Committee members include:

• Rich Haddad, K21 Health Foundation
• Stephanie Overbey, Kosciusko County Community Foundation
• Greg Demopoulos, Ride Walk Advisory Committee
• Nate Bosch, Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams at Grace College
• Barry McManus, Trailhouse Village Bicycles
• Rob Parker, Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce
• Rebecca Bazzoni, Joe’s Kids
• Tony Peterson, Cardinal Services
• Fred Helfrich, Kosciusko County Velo Cycling Club
• Marsha McSherry, Kosciusko County administrator and county health and wellness program coordinator
• Jason Zaugg, Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital
• Larry Plummer, Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department, superintendent
• Holly Hummitch, Winona Lake Parks and Recreation Department, director
• Erlene Yentes, Syracuse-Wawasee Trails executive director
• Georgia Tenney, Pierceton
• Dan Thystrup, North Webster Town Council
• Shannon Shepherd, Purdue Extension Health and Human Services educator
• Jim Swanson, Kosciusko Community YMCA CEO
• Max Mock, Edward Jones
• Maximilian Maile, senior vice president — digital health, Parkview Hospital
• Brandi Grimm, engineering project manager at DePuy Synthes
• Emily Gough, Warsaw Community Schools teacher
• Alan Alderfer, Alderfer, Bergen and Co., principal
• Diane Quance, Warsaw City Council and Warsaw Parks and Recreation Board member; and
• Sara Strahan Lenfestey, Adult Protective Services.

As part of the master plan process, Ritsema guided the board and committee with crafting a vision statement. The tentative vision statement they came up with was “Kosciusko County will be a leader in creating an interconnected network of communities, resources and experiences focused on vibrant recreational opportunities, intentional growth and stewardship.”

As the plan is being developed, time will be set aside for the public to comment before it’s finalized in April of 2023.

In other matters, the board:

• Heard from Board Member Aggie Sweeney that three worksheets have been completed regarding parks-related projects. The county hopes to gain additional funding via its participation in the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs’ Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program to couple with some of its American Rescue Plan Act funds to complete those projects. The potential projects include: completing a blueway and greenway master plan; adding another three-quarters of a mile to the Chinworth Bridge Trail on the west side of Warsaw to connect it to the area of Creighton’s Crazy Egg Cafe, 4221 W. Old Road 30, Warsaw; and creating an access point at James Lake for non-motorized watercraft like kayaks.
• Agree that Board Vice President Troy Turley would go to a state park and recreation conference next month.

The board’s next meeting is 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, at the Kosciusko County Courthouse’s Old Courtroom during which committee members will also meet to continue to work on the five-year master plan.