County Park Board updated on Trails at Mill Pond, Historic Log Cabin & Kayak Launch

Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at 9:09 AM

Members of the Marshall County Park and Recreation Board received an update on the Trails at Millpond from Mountain Bike Committee Co-Chairman, Brandon Calhoun. He told them they have about a half-mile of new trail flagged and rough cleared. He said as soon as the weather breaks it will be ready to go.

Calhoun said the County Highway Department dumped two loads of millings for the parking area and a neighbor helped by spreading and leveling them out. He said the ground for the concrete pad where the bike repair stand has been prepared and they are just waiting for the concrete. A 4 x 8 cover will be installed over the bike repair stand. It will be a wood structure with a metal roof.

Calhoun said they are working on getting a tire pump for the bike repair stand too. They have a lead on getting the piece of equipment donated.

There is also news on the historic trustee cabin relocation project. Project chairman Dick Markley said the logs were moved to the site at the Memorial Forest on March 2nd. Yoder’s Log and Timber will be reconstructing the cabin.

Markley said Yoder’s has a project in Valparaiso that is nearly completed except for the stairs and a house in Syracuse, and they are waiting for the cabinet tops. There is also a house in Culver that they are working on. Markley said that gives him an idea of how the county’s project will get worked into the schedule.

Terry Borggren, chairman of the Canoe and Kayak Committee said there was nothing new. It was hoped that USI would have someone that could assist the County Park Board with some grant writing, but they don’t. Board member Brain Main said he spoke to the Troyer Group and they have experience applying for Land and Water Grants through the DNR. They are willing to come and discuss the possibility with the park board. The grant is due by June 1st and the next County Park Board meeting is April 6th at 6 p.m.

The County Highway Department may be able to assist with some development of a launch at the King Road Bridge. It was suggested Borggren and Commissioner Kevin Overmyer meet with Highway Superintendent Jason Peters before the next Park Board meeting to review the project and try to determine if the highway department could assist with some work at the launch site.