Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
All five requests for road closures before the Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety on Friday were unanimously approved.
Baker Youth Club will be celebrating its 100th year of serving the children in the community from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 15.
Executive Director Tracy Furnivall requested from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on that date, East Smith Street, from Bronson to Grant streets, be closed.
“We’re having a big birthday celebration with lots of things going on, from a band to a professional rib cookoff to bounce houses, snow cones to ice cream,” he said. “... Where we would put them would be no hindrance to any other businesses but ours.”
Parking will be across the street at the fairgrounds.
Mayor Jeff Grose said, “It’s safe to say, along with countless others, coach Furnivall and I would not even be here today (without BYC). The impact of the club on our lives when we were kids, and I know there’s others out there,” was big.
Councilwoman Diane Quance asked if Bronson Street was going to be closed completely. Furnivall said no, the barricades will be on the east side of Bronson so Bronson can still be accessed to turn right or go straight into the fairgrounds. The barricades will go on the west side of Grant Street so Fellowship Missions can still access Grant Street.
After that request was approved, the Board of Works reviewed Scouting America’s request to close North Indiana Street, from just south of East Main Street to just north of East Fort Wayne Street, from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 17 for the Lincolnway District Cubmobile. The event itself will take place from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
No one from Scouting America was present for the road closure request.
Nora Christiansen, Main Street Warsaw events coordinator, said they were OK with the road closure and it’s the same footprint as in years past. The request was approved 3-0.
Patrick Loebs brought the request for the closure of East Clark Street, between North Lincoln Street and North Lindberg Drive, for a neighborhood block party on Oct. 24. The road closure will be 4 to 11:59 p.m., with the event going from 5 to 11 p.m.
“So, this is an annual fall block party we’ve done for, I think, this is either year 10 or 11. We block off a street just so the kids in the neighborhood have a place to ride bikes and skateboard without getting hit by cars,” Loebs said.
He said they had 160 people attend in 2025.
Loebs’ request was granted.
Christiansen presented Main Street Warsaw’s request to close Buffalo Street, between Market and Main streets, and Center Street, between Lake and Indiana streets, from 1 p.m. Aug. 15 to midnight for the second annual Diner En Blanc. The Saturday event will be from 6 to 11 p.m.
“Last year, we had wonderful attendance. Closed down the intersection of Center and Buffalo for an evening-lit dinner experience. We support the restaurants. We’ll see tickets as well if they want to participate and have tables,” Christiansen said, adding that they’ll have community tables as well. It’s hoped that attendance will be larger this year.
Christiansen told the Board of Works they were hoping to close the road at 1 p.m. so it’s easier to go from the Farmers Market to the event instead of opening the roads for about an hour or so and then closing them again.
“So, we’ll just basically move road signs,” she stated.
Once that was approved, Christiansen then presented a road closure request for Rex’s Rendezvous for this Sunday, July 19, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., for the 50th Anniversary Party going from noon to 4 p.m. It includes Buffalo Street between Market Street and the alley before Jefferson Street.
“It is very last minute,” she said. “Unfortunately, this is going to be (Robin Watters’) retirement party, a surprise, and it’s blown up larger than what was expected.”
The Board of Works meetings are livestreamed on the city’s website.
Christiansen said all the businesses that share that block are closed on Sunday.
The road closure request was approved.
