Covered bridge not right for park, but Forest Hill possible
After further review, perhaps the quaint little covered bridge that has doubled as the Putnam County Convention and Visitor Bureau Welcome Center in Cloverdale isn't such a perfect fit for Greencastle's Robe-Ann Park after all.
A month after encouraging the Greencastle Park Board to seriously consider the possibility of relocating the 10-by-30 foot covered bridge-style building to Robe-Ann, City Park Superintendent Rod Weinschenk has had a change of heart.
"After looking at the logistics," Weinschenk told the Park Board Thursday night, "I am going to suggest we not do the project."
The covered bridge building, Weinschenk pointed out, is "not really big enough to hold anything for us."
He acknowledged it would have been attractive as a place to gather if placed as planned north of the circle drive near the main entrance to Robe-Ann. However, the interior wouldn't accommodate the number of participants the park routinely gets for its programs or meetings, he reasoned.
Weinschenk said it had also become apparent that Forest Hill Cemetery Superintendent Ernie Phillips was interested in acquiring the building after receiving the same email from CVB Director Karla Lawless about the possibility of obtaining the structure.
The CVB is seeking to donate the welcome center building, which has stood on the Cloverdale Travel Plaza property at U.S. 231 and Interstate 70 since it was built about 15 years ago.
The only stipulation in the CVB donation is that the recipient would be responsible for moving the building and any costs associated with that. Lawless said the last quote she had received on moving the covered bridge was "around $2,000."
Last month Weinschenk estimated it would be an $8,000-$10,000 investment to move the bridge to Greencastle and have it anchored at a spot in Robe-Ann Park. In addition to moving costs, added expenses such as constructing concrete abutments for both ends of the bridge building and running electricity to the site were envisioned at the time.
"Forest Hill is interested in using the building as a place for meeting with families," Weinschenk said, noting that it would also be an attractive "accent piece" in the cemetery.
"It may be better off there," he said of Forest Hill.
"I propose we pass on the project and pass it on to Forest Hill Cemetery," he advised the Park Board.
Mayor Sue Murray, who was in the audience Thursday night for the 45-minute Park Board meeting at City Hall, said Forest Hill has money available in its budget to move the bridge building and have it properly placed within the cemetery.
Weinschenk indicated the CVB offer does not have a strict timetable set for moving the building, noting that expectations are that the move would occur sometime with the next two to three months.
Cemetery Supt. Phillips was unavailable Friday for comment on the possibility of relocating the structure to Forest Hill Park.