Dunkirk pursuing pocket parks

Dunkirk may be getting some miniature parks — just on different parcels than originally planned.

Dunkirk City Council on Monday heard a presentation about the idea of constructing several “pocket parks.”

It also passed a resolution agreeing to help pay for its share of projects if Jay County earns the Stellar Communities designation.

Mayor Gene Ritter told council he and a committee had been brainstorming and planning for pocket parks in the city for the past few months. Dunkirk Park Board recently expressed support for the project, he said, and agreed to take control of whatever properties were developed.

Logan Nelson, a member of the committee, explained the plan to council members.

“Pocket parks are the idea of a park on a smaller scale. The hope for these parks would be to use property already owned by the city to enhance and beautify the community,” Nelson said. “These parks would provide places for children to play. They would also make more destinations throughout the city for friends and family to gather and provide endless entertainment.”

The committee hoped to start with vacant properties at 213 E. Washington St., 398 W. Lincoln Ave. and 335 W. Commerce St. Tentative plans included a walking trail, swing sets, horseshoe pits and a space for an outdoor movie theater. All parks would ideally have a small shelter house, a picnic table, a barbecue pit and free Wi-Fi.

However, Jay County’s community developer Ami Huffman pointed out that the city does not own those three properties — they are owned by the state while it carries out a grant project to remove blighted houses.

To gain control of the sites, the city would either have to pay the state for the cost of demolition — Huffman said each parcel ranged from $7,000 to $11,000 — or wait until the grant was closed out and the properties are put up for bid.

The city could then bid on the properties, or take control of them if there are no bids.

Council member Jack Robbins told the committee that the city does own three or four parcels of land that it could use for the pocket park project. He will provide a list to the committee, which will regroup and assess the land.

The committee anticipated paying for the parks by reaching out to business owners for sponsorships, seeking matching grants from The Portland Foundation and The Dunkirk Foundation and selling engraved pavers.

Council also passed a resolution Monday indicating its intention to help pay for its share of projects if Jay County wins the Stellar Communities designation.

Huffman told council its expected contribution would be $1 million for about $7 million worth of projects throughout the city, including the facade program, renovations to the library and Glass Museum and trail construction. In actuality, that number would be lower.

“(Jay County Commissioners) approved $2 million this morning and so as part of that fund, that will be Dunkirk’s match too,” Huffman said. “You will be asked as we work on projects to put in money as we go. It will not be $1 million.”

Rather, she said, the city’s actual contribution would likely be closer to $300,000, distributed across four years starting in 2021.

Council passed the resolution. Huffman said the Jay! Region, a finalist in the process, is submitting a total of $38 million worth of projects. The winning community will be announced in December.

In other business, council members Jesse Bivens, Tom Johnson, Bryan Jessup and Robbins, absent Lisa Street:

•Heard that Dylan Limbert, a reserve officer, has accepted a job offer from Dunkirk Police Department to fill one of two vacancies. Ritter said another offer will be extended soon to fill out the ranks.

•Agreed to close a portion of Indiana Street from 4 to 10 p.m. Oct. 19 for Fuqua Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM’s 50th anniversary party. The car dealership is planning a weekend of activities, including a visit from Indiana Historical Society’s History on Wheels exhibit, a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a concert. The city will also lend the business 10 picnic tables.

•Set trick-or-treating hours from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 31. Several downtown businesses and buildings will have events on Halloween, and city employees will pass out candy and other treats at the city building.

•Briefly talked about conducting a stormwater utility study to assess whether the city needed to add the line item to customers’ utility bills. City attorney Wes Schemenaur recommended waiting to start the study until after the city’s master plan is presented.

•Heard that Dunkirk Police Department and the crime watch committee collected 70 pairs of shoes for students at Westlawn Elementary School.

•Approved a contract with Newsome’s Tree and Stump Removal to remove 17 trees and 39 stumps from city parks for $6,090.

•Promoted Steven Gillette to a lab technician. Gillette has worked for the sewage department for one year and will now make $15.32 an hour.

•Learned from Robbins that Blackford County will be installing a 15-inch line on the west side of Indiana 167 north of Dunkirk to help resolve flooding issues.

•Paid claims of $124,627.36.