Park Board considers idea of shelter facility sponsorships

A new facility sponsorship incentive for organizations or companies to partner with the Greencastle Parks and Recreation earned the blessing of the Park Board Wednesday night.

Proposed by Park Director Greg Ruark, the effort would involve the sponsorship of shelterhouses throughout the city park system.

The Greencastle Parks system currently has eight facility shelters within the three main parks -- shelters one, two and five in Robe-Ann Park (shelters three and four were razed years ago), shelters one, two and three in Big Walnut Sports Park and shelters one and two in Jaycee Park.

“By listing the shelters with numbers,” Ruark noted, “there is tendency to confuse where each shelter is located. Placing a name on each shelter should eliminate this confusion.”

Ruark suggested that an annual fee or multi-year agreement be established for businesses or groups to put their name on a shelter. As an example, he listed “ABC Insurance Company” with a one-year agreement at $500, “123 Dental Office” with a two-year deal at $900 and “Give and Go Convenience Store” agreeing to a three-year contract for $1,200.

Money raised would be utilized for the upkeep and maintenance of the shelter.

“There are only eight opportunities” in the city parks, Ruark noted, adding that his hypothetical figures are just for discussion at this point.

“We’ve talked about it before,” Tim Trigg, the Park Board’s longest-serving member at more than 20 years, said. “I think it’s a good idea.”

Signs of three to four feet were suggested by Ruark, making them “easy to see from the road” but more sturdy than a vinyl banner.

On a motion by board President Cathy Merrell and a unanimous vote, Ruark and Assistant Director Chrysta Snellenberger were empowered to pursue the project.

Mayor Bill Dory, who was in attendance at the meeting in the park office, said he will confer with City Attorney Laurie Hardwick to be certain there are no legal issues with the naming rights idea.

In other business, the Park Board:

-- Approved contracts with Spear Corp., Roachdale, for repairs at the aquatic center and splash park. A $13,041 contract will repair valves at the front of the filtering system, while $6,440 will pay for a controller box at the pool and $2,046 will fund a controller box at the splash park. Only the $6,440 is seen as coming out of the $289,000-$352,000 proposal to rebuild the surge tank and filtering system after the 2023 pool season.

Mayor Dory said funds for that major work are in the city’s EDIT plan. He noted that the aquatic center plumbing is original and the pool is “thirtysomething years old.”

-- Heard the mayor say he would ask the Greencastle Civic League for assistance with the repair cost at the splash park since it established a maintenance account when funds were raised for the facility.

-- Heard Snellenberger note that the original agreement with the Civic League was for the splash park to remain free of charge to residents for 10 years once it was donated to the city. Those 10 years will be up in 2024, she said, adding that the Park Board could then consider closing the exterior gate of the splash park and having users enter via the pool admission area with paid access then to both water facilities.

-- Heard Snellenberger report that 86 youngsters are involved in the youth basketball program, which will have a skills test this Saturday before beginning a seven-game schedule with four teams in each of three divisions. The last couple of weeks will be devoted to a double-elimination tournament.

-- Heard Ruark report that he and Snellenberger have been training on the new Civic Rec reservation system, which will be used as the check-in system for the pool this summer.

-- Heard Ruark report that the Story Walk project is complete along the People Pathways trail between Deer Meadow and Tzouanakis schools. There are 20 stations in the Putnam County Soil and Water Conservation District-sponsored Story Walk.

Merrell and Trigg were joined for the January session by Doug Hutchison, the newest Park Board member. Member Joanna Muncie was absent.

The board will next meet in regular session Wednesday, Feb. 1 at the park office.