County Approves $36K For CCAC Land Acquisition
May 11, 2017 at 7:24 p.m.
By Dan [email protected]
With the additional $36,000, the CCAC is now expected to finalize the purchase of land along Old 30 from RR Donnelley.
The CCAC had been working to acquire the land for years from Donnelley and the subject came up at the county’s Convention, Recreation & Visitors Commission meeting Wednesday while a representative of the CCAC was providing an update.
Donnelley had expressed an increased desire to sell the property and despite numerous donations and grants, the CCAC had been struggling to cover the remaining cost.
Karl Swihart, the executive director of the CCAC, was addressing the commission when board member Jo Paczkowski proposed the additional appropriation.
Paczkowski expressed concern that officials with Donnelly’s might pull the plug and quit waiting for the CCAC to come up with the entire $337,000 sale price.
The CCAC and the city have been leasing the 64-acre facility for $1 per year since it opened in the mid-1990s.
The proposal was approved unanimously.
If the CCAC was forced to move, officials believe numerous leagues would have been left with nowhere to play for several years.
Swihart said afterward he was unaware the proposal would surface Wednesday, but was excited about the outcome.
“It’s huge. We’ve always been worried about losing the property eventually,” Swihart said.
The commission had already provided $100,000 for the purchase and provides $40,000 per year for operational costs.
With the acquisition, Swihart said the CCAC will be in a better position to seek grants.
With that in mind, Paczkowski and others on the commission suggested they may well be able to reduce the annual funding.
“I really believe they think they can be more self sufficient” if they own the property, Paczkowski said.
The CCAC has seen an increase in incidental costs involving the aging facilities and equipment
During his 13-year tenure, the CCAC has had to dip into its reserve funds every year but one, Swihart said.
Other support for the purchase came from K21 Foundation ($175,000), The Dane and Mary Louise Miller Foundation ($25,000) and Paragon Medical ($1,000), Swihart said.
Even though area residents continue to call the company “RR Donnelley,” the Chicago-based company renamed the local plant LSC Communications last year.
In other matters, the board voted to provide $75,000 to the town of Winona Lake to help pay for the cost of new restrooms that will be part of the evolving Limitless Park.
The park is being phased in and already includes a splash pad and playground equipment. The concept is designed around the idea of making it “universally accessible” for anyone with disabilities.
The restroom facility will include four rooms designed for families, according to Craig Allebach, the town manager. That approach is intended to serve up to four families – or individuals – at a time.
While cost of the restroom portion is still not completely covered, Allebach said they hope to shore up financing and construct the restrooms this summer.
The commission had already approved plans to provide $50,000, but the money had not been distributed yet. On Wednesday, the commission refined plans to include an additional $25,000.
The entire park project, estimated to cost about $2 million when complete, is in the early stages of the second major phase.
Playground equipment was installed last year.
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With the additional $36,000, the CCAC is now expected to finalize the purchase of land along Old 30 from RR Donnelley.
The CCAC had been working to acquire the land for years from Donnelley and the subject came up at the county’s Convention, Recreation & Visitors Commission meeting Wednesday while a representative of the CCAC was providing an update.
Donnelley had expressed an increased desire to sell the property and despite numerous donations and grants, the CCAC had been struggling to cover the remaining cost.
Karl Swihart, the executive director of the CCAC, was addressing the commission when board member Jo Paczkowski proposed the additional appropriation.
Paczkowski expressed concern that officials with Donnelly’s might pull the plug and quit waiting for the CCAC to come up with the entire $337,000 sale price.
The CCAC and the city have been leasing the 64-acre facility for $1 per year since it opened in the mid-1990s.
The proposal was approved unanimously.
If the CCAC was forced to move, officials believe numerous leagues would have been left with nowhere to play for several years.
Swihart said afterward he was unaware the proposal would surface Wednesday, but was excited about the outcome.
“It’s huge. We’ve always been worried about losing the property eventually,” Swihart said.
The commission had already provided $100,000 for the purchase and provides $40,000 per year for operational costs.
With the acquisition, Swihart said the CCAC will be in a better position to seek grants.
With that in mind, Paczkowski and others on the commission suggested they may well be able to reduce the annual funding.
“I really believe they think they can be more self sufficient” if they own the property, Paczkowski said.
The CCAC has seen an increase in incidental costs involving the aging facilities and equipment
During his 13-year tenure, the CCAC has had to dip into its reserve funds every year but one, Swihart said.
Other support for the purchase came from K21 Foundation ($175,000), The Dane and Mary Louise Miller Foundation ($25,000) and Paragon Medical ($1,000), Swihart said.
Even though area residents continue to call the company “RR Donnelley,” the Chicago-based company renamed the local plant LSC Communications last year.
In other matters, the board voted to provide $75,000 to the town of Winona Lake to help pay for the cost of new restrooms that will be part of the evolving Limitless Park.
The park is being phased in and already includes a splash pad and playground equipment. The concept is designed around the idea of making it “universally accessible” for anyone with disabilities.
The restroom facility will include four rooms designed for families, according to Craig Allebach, the town manager. That approach is intended to serve up to four families – or individuals – at a time.
While cost of the restroom portion is still not completely covered, Allebach said they hope to shore up financing and construct the restrooms this summer.
The commission had already approved plans to provide $50,000, but the money had not been distributed yet. On Wednesday, the commission refined plans to include an additional $25,000.
The entire park project, estimated to cost about $2 million when complete, is in the early stages of the second major phase.
Playground equipment was installed last year.
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