Dunkirk gains possession of Depot Building (06/27/06)

DUNKIRK — The fate of the Depot Building is now in the hands of city officials.

At Monday night’s Dunkirk City Council session Mayor Sam Hubbard reported that the Dunkirk Economic Development Committee successfully closed on the purchase of the structure last week, and discussion of future plans for using the building and surrounding property have already been added to the list of agenda topics for future meetings of the Dunkirk Improvement Committee.

Hubbard said the purchase price was $50,000, and the DEDC used Economic Development Income Tax (EDIT) funds to acquire the property from its former owners, who are in the process of relocating to a new home out-of-state.

Constructed in 1910, the building was originally used as a depot for passenger trains between Dunkirk, Muncie and Chicago. It has since been used as a private residence as well as the site of The Nest Egg gift shop.

It is located along Lincoln Avenue at Franklin Street, and borders Webster-Depot Park, where the Dunkirk Beautification Committee holds its summer concert series.

At a meeting of the Dunkirk Improvement Committee, members started work on trying to come up with alternative uses for the building as beginning discussions to have the building included on a state or national list of historic sites.

Hubbard suggested that the depot could possibly be used as the starting point for a walkway or bicycle trail linking Webster-Depot Park with Dunkirk City Park on the east side of the city.

In other business Monday, Dunkirk Volunteer Fire Department representative Larry Wright reported that after holding a car wash and several fund-raising boot drives, volunteers were approximately $1,200 short of the $4,441 goal for Saturday night’s fireworks show at Dunkirk City Park.

Wright said the volunteers intended to have another boot drive at the park on the night of the show. City clerk-treasurer Jane Kesler said that last year the city contributed about $900 for the fireworks.

City council members agreed that they would be willing to make a similar contribution this year, making up the difference between the volunteers’ total from contributions and the actual bill for the fireworks.

In other action at Monday’s meeting, council members:

•Approved a 3 percent increase in township fire protection rates for the coming year. This will bring the 2007 township amounts to $1,937 for Knox and $4,425 for Richland townships in Jay County; $1,967 for Niles Township in Delaware County, and $2,625 for Jackson Township in Blackford County.

•Noted that new playground equipment was being installed at Dunkirk City Park, and it should be ready for use by Saturday.

•Heard several positive comments about the summer activities being offered at the Dunkirk City Pool. “There’s a lot of good things going on at the pool,” commented Tom Johnson, councilman in charge of the pool and parks.

•Learned that a request had been made about establishing a handicapped parking space near Christie’s Family Restaurant on East Commerce Street.

Mayor Hubbard said that he and Police Chief Arnold Clevenger would study the situation and make a recommendation at the next council meeting.[[In-content Ad]]