The Porter County Park Board and foundation are raising funds for two key capital projects – a major events/nature center facility at Sunset Hill Farm County Park and a new south county park.
The Porter County Council gave the efforts its blessing Tuesday.
Park Superintendent Jake McEvoy and Park Board member Bob DeRuntz outlined the two big projects they’re working on.
The south county park on Ind. 49 was once referred to as Aukiki County Park, to be given the indigenous name for the Kankakee River, but naming rights for the park itself, as well as features within it, are available, DeRuntz said.
The Park Board is offering two prices for the park’s name – $2 million for 10 years or $3 million for 20 years.
“We need the dollars, and dollars talk,” DeRuntz said.
Ten-year naming rights can also be purchased for the south county park’s baseball, soccer or pickleball complexes, the clubhouse, playground, dog park, one of four pavilions or a walking path, with the prices starting at $250,000, up to $750,000.
The Aukiki name is being reserved for a property along the river that the Park Board could acquire in the future, he said.
Southeastern Porter County has Dunns Bridge County Park as a boat launch, with the old bridge serving as a pedestrian bridge to nowhere. The other side of the bridge is on private property.
The new park would be more central to Kouts and Hebron.
“It’s a park desert, and it won’t be anymore,” DeRuntz said.
The new park would include baseball and softball diamonds.
Bringing travel ball teams to the park is part of the plan, McEvoy said. He’s met with south county locals, and that’s “very much what they told us they want.”
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“Many families take their kids and their dollars outside Porter County” for travel ballgames, DeRuntz said.
“It would be a revenue generator for our parks, but it would also be a revenue generator for our county as well,” he said.
The park would also include a walking trail more than a mile long. That’s a big need in the area.
“You live on Sager Road, you’re taking your life in your hands” to walk alongside the road, DeRuntz said.
“It’s going to be an incredible investment in the community to get this built.”
The Sunset Hill Farm Nature and Event Center – the working title, with the name up for sale – would be more than 5,000 square feet, built on the north side of the parking lot, where the Nancy J. Hardesty Gazebo now stands.
Naming rights are $1 million for 10 years or a bargain $1.5 million for 20 years.
“The goal of it is to expand our programing options,” McEvoy said, as well as create a nature center open seven days a week.
“Some of our programming is completely booked. We have a waiting list,” DeRuntz said.
“Camp Funset, year in and year out, is booked within hours,” DeRuntz said.
About 200 kids are on the waiting list, McEvoy said.
The building would be large enough to accommodate all of the kids.
It would also be used as a rental for weddings, conferences and other events.
“I don’t think we would have any problem consistently renting this out. It would be a great revenue generator for our parks,” DeRuntz said.
“You know that when you’re looking for event spaces, there’s not a whole lot of spaces in Valparaiso” and Porter County for a considerable crowd, he said. “It’s absolutely beautiful. We would build it for 300 to 400 people.”
The fundraising efforts began in April. “We have managed to gain a lot of interest among a lot of parties,” McEvoy said.
“I can’t jump up and down high enough for this,” Councilwoman Michelle Harris, R-At-large, said.
“I can’t imagine this wouldn’t be booked 100% of the time,” she said.
Councilman Mike Brickner, R-At-large, commended McEvoy and the Park Board for taking this initiative. Parks rank right up there with public safety and roads for quality of life, he said.
“We’re going to work really, really hard to raise money,” DeRuntz said, then return to the council for funding the balance of the cost.
Doug Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.