Warsaw Parks Department activities offices will be relocated from the Boggs Building on Little League Drive to the Pete Thorn Center on Park Avenue.
In May it was announced Baker Youth Club will form a partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Kosciusko County and merge.
The group is now known as the Baker Youth Club and children now go to the Market Street location and no longer meet at the Pete Thorn Center.
The Council on Aging & Aged is still located in the Pete Thorn Center and will continue to rent out office space at the center.
Warsaw Park Board at its June meeting toured the Pete Thorn Center to get an idea how the parks department could make use of the facility for its programs.
The board voted unanimously during its meeting Tuesday night to move its park activities offices from the Boggs Building on Little League Drive to the Pete Thorn Center on Park Avenue.
The parks department will make use of the Pete Thorn Center by using an activity room, gymnasium, and two offices for park activities staff.
The move will provide the parks department with acquiring 1,631 square feet for office space, according to Jon Garber, parks superintendent.
Garber said carpeting needs to be laid and painting needs to be completed and the move is projected to be completed by the end of this year.
Staci Young, parks activities director, said it will be an asset to have park activities and offices at the Pete Thorn Center.
Young provided an estimated expense report for the parks activities offices moving to the Pete Thorn Center totalling $3,975.70.
Phone system quotes are at $410; carpet is at $756.70; signage at $759; paint at $250; and furniture at $1,800.
“Children will be in walking and biking distance to attend park programs, and we will have access to the gymnasium, lake and nearbye park,” Young said.
Young said the department will better be able to serve those who register for programs being located closer to the downtown area.
Young said the parks department has also discussed assisting the Council on Aging & Aged with expanding its senior programming services.
The existing Boggs Building could be rented out for meetings, and could still house park programs, Garber said.
In other business, Pat Brown, SiteScapes, reviewed a five year action plan for 2012-2016 for the parks department.
The parks department has been working to update its master plan with priorities to better serve the community.
A public meeting will be scheduled in September for the community to have the opportunity to review the master plan draft.
The board also reviewed a community recreation opportunities report put together by Young. It identifies which organizations provide community recreation opportunities so the parks department will not duplicate those services.
In other business, Larry Plummer, parks director, said playground equipment is in an McKinley Park and will be installed this week.
Plummer also gave an update on storm damage and said there were two trees damaged on the Greenway trail, three trees damaged at Central Park, and 18 trees damaged at Lucerne Park.
Brooke Kaiser, parks intern, gave an update on the Family Carnival and said it was attended by 2,000-2,200 people.
