In 2018, a round up
campaign at Hopkins Ace Hardware raised more than $3,000 for the boxcar
restroom project in Thomas Centennial Park.
Now Ace owner Mark
Hopkins wants to do it again, this time with an eye toward fundraising for
the ongoing cleanup and rehab of Coffee Creek Park.
Hopkins made his
pitch at the Chesterton Park Board’s meeting Tuesday night. “My wife told me
I should probably get permission from you before I go ahead and do it on my
own,” he joked.
Permission was
immediate, enthusiastic, and grateful. “That’s a very generous thing to do,”
Member Wendy Marciniak said. “Thank you.”
Hopkins hasn’t
quite decided yet how long the round up will go, but at least until the end
of June and possibly until Aug. 1. But during that period customers will be
asked whether they’d like to round up their purchase to the nearest dollar,
with the spare change going to Coffee Creek Park.
Hopkins, along with
Member Paul Shinn, has been one of the prime movers in the cleanup of the
park. Last year scores of cubic yards of scrub and brush were removed, and
bags of trash collected.
In related
business, Hopkins was pleased to report that Duneland Rebuilding Together
has agreed to make the rehab of Coffee Creek Park one of its community
projects in April, and that the Coffee Creek Park Committee will be meeting
soon to determine the goals and scope of the work.
Hopkins also
reported that the Chesterton-Porter Rotary Club has expressed an interest as
well in making Coffee Creek Park one of its long-term projects.
Westchester Court
In other business,
Jeff Wozniak, a resident of Westchester Court, made note from the floor of
the overgrown vegetation in the heavily wooded area at the center of the
cul-de-sac, where 10 bushes are now encroaching on the roadway and creating
blind spots in which motorists could very well fail to see children playing
or bicycling.
Under the
impression that the area is one of town’s parks, Wozniak requested that the
Park Department do some pruning.
Except, as
Superintendent Bruce Mathias said, it’s not a park. The Park Department has
occasionally maintained the area, however, at Street Commissioner John
Schnadenberg’s request, he added. “We just picked it up to help him out.”
The area does not
appear to be owned by an HOA, and Town Engineer Mark O’Dell suggested that
it might be a public right-of-way, but that he will have to check. In any
case, O’Dell said, it would be easy enough for him, Mathias, and
Schnadenberg to take a look at the area and determine a solution going
forward.
Young Professionals
Meanwhile, members
voted unanimously to grant the Duneland Chamber of Commerce usage of Dogwood
Park from 1 to 7 p.m. Friday, May 15, where it will once again host the
annual Young Professionals benefit fundraiser.
Tickets purchased
for the fundraiser will benefit regional nonprofits. Leroy’s Hot Stuff will
be serving food and beer, and Park Department staff will help the Chamber
install temporary fencing for the event.
Duneland Exchange
Club
Members also voted
unanimously to allow the Duneland Exchange Club to erect a banner in Thomas
Centennial Park to mark Prevention of Child Abuse Month in April.
The Duneland
Exchange Club has been observing the Prevention of Child Abuse Month for
many years.
Updates
Assistant
Superintendent Shane Griffin reported that the new shelter at Dogwood is
proceeding. “It’s coming along nicely,” he said. “The roof comes in next
week,” Mathias added. “That’s what we’re waiting for.”
Griffin also
reported that at next month’s meeting he should have a report on the
upcoming season of Chesterton Cruise Night, held on the last Saturday of the
month through the summer in Downtown Chesterton. Brad Pikula, owner of Mel’s
Detail at 105 Brown Ave. in Chesterton, is interested again in assisting
with the event’s organization and promotion, Griffin noted, while Dean
Biddle, owner of Dean’s Tire & Auto at 1603 S. Calumet Road, would like to
join the effort as well.
Mathias requested,
and was given, authorization to work with legal on a contract for the
demolition of the old Park Department building on the east side of 23rd
Street.
And Member Paul
Shinn asked Mathias and Griffin to conduct safety inspections of the skate
park off South 15th Street and the overlook at Coffee Creek Park.
April Meeting Date
Changed
Members voted
unanimously to change the date of next month’s meeting to Wednesday, April
8. The time will remain the same: 6 p.m.
The meeting was
re-scheduled to accommodate extended early voting hours at the town hall on
Tuesdays and Thursdays in April.