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The Lake City Canine Club received permission to take dogs into Lucerne Park for their Walk and Wag event in September.
Club president and training director Billy Brinkerhuff and club member Mercedes Dinkel told the Warsaw parks department board about their plans Tuesday. The not-for-profit, 501-C3 organization, stresses dog owner responsibility and offers obedience and agility classes. Proceeds from Walk and Wag go to the Kosciusko County Animal Welfare League. Club members bring their dogs to the Warsaw Community Public Library to listen to children read.
"We want to show that dog owners are responsible. They must pick up after their dogs," Brinkerhuff said. Walk and Wag was held in the Winona Lake park in 2004; the club wants a larger area this year.
Dinkel said the event includes fun classes like waggiest tail and cutest puppy. The walk will be from Lucerne Park to the end of Beyer Lake trail by Kosciusko Community Hospital and back.
Parks superintendent advised the board there is a no-dog in the parks ordinance, but inquiries about a "dog" park have been made in the past.
The canine club's Walk and Wag request was unanimously approved.
Activities director Janelle Wilson reported that sponsorship dollars have increased for 2005. Sunoco, Zimmer, Farmers State bank and WRSW radio station sponsor the June 17 Classic Rock Concert; DePuy, NIPSCO and WRSW radio station sponsor the July 15 Blues & Barbecues concert and Biomet, the biomet Foundation and ESPN 1480 radio station sponsor July 19 country concert.
Petro's GM Showplace is sponsoring all six Movie Monday events.
A new event, Terra Cotta Takeout" is scheduled for June 22 at 3 p.m. in the Central Park east picnic shelter. Participants will paint and plant two terra cotta pots. One container will be given to a local senior citizen. Advanced registration is required for the $5 per person class.
Also new this year is an art in the park mini camp. The Thursday classes are designed for children ages 6 to 9-years-old (June 9 through July 7) and for ages 10- to 12-years-old (July 14 to Aug. 11). Costs are $10 pre child per week or $40 per child for five weeks.
The fishing derby is June 4; the garden tea party is June 29; the family carnival is Aug. 5; Celebracio«n Latina is Sept. 10; Fall Family Fun is Oct. 7 and the Big Swing Fling is Nov. 4.
Wilson said the Easter Egg Hunt was cold and rainy, but that didn't keep the children away. More than 9,000 eggs were collected in the park.
Parks director Larry Plummer Jr. recommended a $750 fee be added to rental fees when large events are scheduled in Central Park. Employees often spend hours cleaning up and making repairs after such events. The item was tabled.
The board agreed to lower the Monday through Thursday Fireman's Building rental from $150 to $125. Garber said people were complaining that the Fireman's Building facility cost more than the Center Lake Pavilion during the week and had less capacity. Cathy Folk voted nay.
• Heard a structured building with a roof strong enough to hold lights and other staging apparatus has been proposed over a fabric-covered stage area in Central Park.
A performance area structure was proposed months ago at the suggestion of an anonymous donor.
• Reviewed a letter from V3 Consultants' Ed Belmonte who offered the company's services to construct seawalls along the park's shoreline on Center Lake. The item was tabled. Folk said she would prefer to see bids from several companies.
• Approved a tennis association agreement for youth lessons this summer.
• Heard from Garber that budgets are being developed for 2006 and the board shouldn't be surprised by several "large-ticket" items. Plummer reminded the board, too, that the parks department is responsible for the care of the "streetscape" plants downtown and has been approached about maintaining the greenway.
Parks board members are: Bill Baldwin, Toby Sumpter, Cathy Folk and Steve Haines. John Sadler was absent. Jeff Grose is the city council representative.
