Park planning

It’s time for a new plan.

With the city’s five-year park plan expiring at the end of the year, Portland Park Board on Tuesday discussed the procedure it will go through in creating a new plan for 2022 through 2026.

The board also heard three pitches for support of various projects in the city’s parks.

John Moore, who has volunteered to help lead the process of working on the five-year park plan along with park board member Brian Ison, talked about some of the goals of the current plan. Those included keeping the parks well maintained, creating a “friends of” the parks group, bolstering coordination with third parties for programs, considering new park options and expanding park trails.

Ison reviewed the schedule for creating the new plan, noting that the survey questions will be ready for the board to review next month. The parks survey will then be made available to the public in June to gather input about the city’s facilities. The plan calls for a draft of the five-year plan to be complete by September, with final approval slated for December. The plan will then be turned in to Indiana Department of Natural Resources for approval.

Questions in the survey for the current park plan asked what activities residents typically did at the parks, how often they visited parks and what additions would be best for the facilities.

Moore emphasized the importance of the plan and the parks in general.

“The parks are really, really very heavily used,” he said, noting the many programs that provide activities for children and adults. “It’s a wonderful, wonderful community resource.”

Kevin Wentz and Moore of Jay County Trails Club visited the park board a day after making a similar pitch to Portland City Council for support of a proposed trail that would run from the Salamonie River bridge the connects Hudson Family Park and Weiler-Wilson Park east behind Portland Water Park and East Elementary School to Jay-Randolph Developmental Services.

Moore noted that the city received a $168,000 Department of Natural Resources grant for the project in 2018. (It expires in 2022.) He added that between the grant, the required 20% local match and other fundraising, he believes there would be no additional cost to the city.

Chett Franks of Jay County Pee Wee Football returned to the board to ask if it would be possible for sidewalk work at Portland Memorial Park’s Hines-Inman Field to be complete before the 2021 season. New sidewalks would run along the south side of the field and connect to the concession/bathroom building with the parking lot and seating.

Franks noted that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the pee wee league and that the organization plans various celebrations during the season this fall.

The league is also hoping to install a new scoreboard and set up netting on the west side of the field to keep balls from flying to the adjacent woods, he added.

Randy Fisher advocated for upgrades to Runkle-Miller Field, which is home to the Portland Rockets. He noted issues such as the concession stand, restrooms and seating.

Ison suggested that Fisher and Rockets manager Randy Miller come up with a multi-year plan for upgrades similar to those that Portland Junior League and Jay County Pee Wee Football have presented. Such a plan could help prioritize projects, he said.

In other business, board members Shauna Runkle, Chris Compton, Glen Bryant and Ison, absent Giles Laux:

•Heard from Matt Shauver of the parks department that preparations are underway for the 2021 season as the weather starts to improve. Pool chemicals are in, and park department staff will soon begin on work like putting new dirt on baseball/softball diamonds. He added that Portland Water Park manager Missy Bader plans to be at the board’s May 4 meeting to discuss the facilities opening and closing dates and other issues, such as if facility rentals will be allowed this year, based on the status of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

•During discussion about Portland Water Park, heard a reminder from Runkle about the pay increase for lifeguards that was approved in March 2020. The starting wage is $9/hour, with a 25-cent increase for each year of experience. The board planned to check with city hall to make sure the changes are in place for the 2021 season.

•Selected the low quote of $15,000 from Goodhew Roofing Services of Ridgeville for new roofs for three shelter houses at Haynes Park and one each at Portland Memorial Park and Milton Miller Park.

•Heard from Shauver that new mowers the board bought last month are expected to be delivered this month.

•Were reminded by Bryant that the board was awarded a $10,000 grant from The Portland Foundation for construction of a disc golf course at Hudson Family Park.

•Learned that a new bullpen will be added at Weiler-Wilson Park as part of an Eagle Scout project. Portland Junior League will purchase the materials for the project, with scout Aaron Whitworth and some helpers handling the labor.

•Heard a suggestion from Shauver that the board consider putting in additional guard rail around Haynes Park if funds are available at the end of the year.