The Chesterton Parks Department will be able to proceed in obtaining a bond, likely between $2 million and $3 million, to help finance future improvements to its parklands.
Chesterton Town Council gave its approval Monday for the Chesterton Park Board and Parks Superintendent Tyler McLead to obtain a new bond.
The town recently paid off a $2 million bond that was used over the years to help pay for capital improvements.
Town Attorney Connor Nolan said the ordinance allows the Parks Department to get a bond of up to $3 million for 15 years.
Nolan said that the Parks Department might look at a bond closer to $2 million to be repaid over a shorter time period.
There are $6.733 million in projects that have been identified in the town’s 5-year Parks Master Plan.
McLead has said that he will work on obtaining grants to help pay for the projects.
Some of the major projects identified are developing 27 acres off Dickinson Road, which would include a dog park, building an inclusive playground that would accommodate disabled children at Chesterton Park, and creating a skate park at Dogwood Park.
In other business, the council approved vacating the public right-of-way for the Duneland YMCA Healthy Living Campus.
The right-of-way included two alleys and what was platted as Seventh Street between Morgan and Porter Avenues.
For years, Goldsborough Gym and a school building wing covered the property. Those structures have been razed as the Duneland YMCA is developing its campus on the old high school/middle school property.
The Duneland YMCA is leasing property from the Duneland School Corporation, which still retains its administrative offices and some programs at the east end of the building.
In the wake of Monday’s early-season snowstorm, the council also gave its approval to enact a parking ban in the downtown area whenever the snow exceeds two inches. The ban will take effect on Wednesday.
Street Superintendent John Schnadenberg said that the town’s snow plows encountered a number of parked cars. He said the crews throughout Monday were already having a hard time because of the periodic white-out conditions.
Council members and Police Chief Tim Richardson complimented Schnadenberg for how well the town’s street crews performed in clearing the streets.
Jim Woods is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
