By MARGARET L. WILLIS

The Duneland Festival Committee got a more definite answer on using Dogwood Park for the Fourth of July celebration at Wednesday’s Chesterton Park Board meeting.

The answer, in a nutshell, was no.

Richard Busse, current president of the festival committee, attended Wednesday’s Park Board meeting with the hope of gaining approval for use of Dogwood Park for a Fourth of July celebration in 2008.

“We’d like, if possible, to bring the festival back to Dogwood Park,” Busse told the board.

Roy Flaherty said simply, “There isn’t enough room.”

Board members cited lack of space, potential damage to soccer playing fields and new curbs from the heavy equipment of the festival rides and vendors, lack of parking and the difficulty of meeting safety requirements for the fireworks with the new subdivision to the west of Dogwood Park.

Board president Vince Emanuele said a 1,000 foot distance is required from homes to set off fireworks.

Emanuele also expressed concern for the potential damage to the park and the lack of resources the park has to deal with the repair and clean-up after such a big event.

“The clean-up and restoration after is huge,” he said, “especially if it rains.”

With the recent budget slash the park got from the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance, Emanuele said the department simply doesn’t have the resources to cope with the aftermath of such a large event.

Emanuele suggested the Tri-town event could be held in Porter or Burns Harbor.

Busses said the committee has already been told there is “the same problem,” with Porter.

Board member Ted Jacobs suggested that the Coffee Creek Center preserve might be a good venue. Though Jacobs was in favor of approving the festival at Dogwood when the discussion came up two months ago, Wednesday he remained relatively quiet on the issue.

Busse said he understood the board’s objections. “The fireworks (safety) and the damage to the park are two substantial reasons,” he said. “I’ll take that back to my board.”

Busses said after the meeting that he wasn’t really surprised, just disappointed in the board’s decision.

Last year, due to the construction in Dogwood Park, the Fourth celebration was held at the Porter County Sunset Hill Farm Park, at Rt. 6 and Meridian Rd.

“We filled it up,” for the fireworks, Busse said. Shuttle busses were used to bring people from the Liberty Bible Church parking lot, he said.

Three board members, Vince Emanuele, Ted Jacobs and Roy Flaherty were present for Wednesday’s meeting. John Kroft was absent.

In other business, the board approved an additional expenditure of $10,000 for a playground in Westwood subdivision, off of 1050 N. That brings the total to $40,000 for that park unit.

The park will “serve three subdivisions,” once the area is all built out, Flaherty noted.

The additional funds will allow for use of recycled rubber mulch, which will last longer than wood mulch, the surround to contain the mulch, as well as a climbing rock module for the playground equipment.

A thank you letter from freshman student council was presented by CHS student Kevin Potter. The letter thanks the board for the use of garage space at the park for building the freshman class Homecoming float.” It was a great place to get the job done. We really appreciated it!” said the letter from the freshman student council.

Jennifer Mason, of Young Champions, sought use of an indoor practice area to run youth cheerleading workshops. She said she has run such workshops in Michigan for the past 15 years and is interested in offering the workshops in Chesterton.

The park department has no indoor facilities board members noted. It was suggested Mason contact the Duneland School Corporation.

Posted 11/8/2007