2009 Annual Report - Elkhart County Parks

Elkhart County Parks
Preservation l Recreation l Education
2009 Annual Report

Agency Profile
Elkhart County Park Board
Karen Mackowiak, President
Jeff Burbrink, Vice-President
Cassidy Fritz, Secretary
Larry Andrews
Karin Frey
John P. Hardy
Klaus Mueller
Elkhart County Board of Commissioners
Terry Rodino, President
Mike Yoder, Vice-President
Frank Lucchese, Member
Elkhart County Council
David E. Foutz, District 1
Randall D. Yohn, District 2
Clarence J. Yoder, District 3
Donald E. Abel, District 4
John K. Letherman, At Large
Dennis E. Sharkey, At Large
David M. Ashe, At Large
Administrative Staff
Dan Seltenright, Director
Larry Neff, Superintendent of Parks
Ronda DeCaire, Superintendent of Operations
Marlene Lantzer, Secretary
Robyn Buenger, Bookkeeper
Parks Division
Mark Renkewicz, Public Safety Coordinator
Gary Plank, West Area Manager
Steve Gangloff, East Area Manager
Krystin Hildebrandt, Bonneyville Park Manager
Oxana Werbiansky, Park Services I
Denney Dearth, Ox Bow Park Manager
Carl Chupp, Park Services II
Denny Paff, River Preserve Park Manager
Lynn Matthews, Park Services II
Jim Cripe, Cobus Creek Park Manager
Greg Lawson, Park Services I
Craig Kirkwood, Pumpkinvine Trail Manager
Operations Division
Jerry Good, Marketing Coordinator
John Jenney, Bonneyville Mill Manager
Andy Langdon, Interpretive Naturalist
Courtney Franke, Interpretive Naturalist
Krista Daniels, Interpretive Naturalist
Nick Hoffman, Museum Director/Curator
Diana Zornow, Assistant Museum Director
Rebecca Oestreich, Curator of Education
Terry Hartman, Maintenance I
Erin Ransom, Secretary
Frank Fisher, Docent
Mission Statement
The Elkhart County Parks Department mission is to enhance the
quality of life, preserve the County’s cultural, historical, and natural
resources; and provide education and recreational opportunities.
Guiding Principles
• Integrity
The Department will work toward its mission in an
honest and ethical fashion. As a result it will develop
a commitment to its customer base and be viewed as
dependable in its facilities and services.
• Accountability The Department will strive to be responsive and
dependable in dealing with park visitors, citizens and
elected officials.
• Quality Service The Department will strive to provide the highest level
of service in a fiscally responsible manner bringing
excellence to all facilities and services.
• Teamwork
• Vision
The Department will make every effort to retain a
diverse staff who will work together to promote a
positive attitude, clear communication and support
for each other as well as department activities.
The Department will look to the future by using
creativity and continuing educational opportunities to
develop new programs and services that will manage,
protect and maximize our resources on a sustainable
basis for present and future generations.

Greetings from Park Administration:
2009 was a banner year for the Department with the grand opening and
dedication of one park and the completion of the first phase of a trail.
Cobus Creek Park was opened to the public and dedicated in May.
Over 60 people attend the grand opening event. The event celebrated
the culmination of four years of planning, grant writing, and development
of the land. The project was funded from the Land and Water
Conservation Fund. The entire project; however, dated back to the
late 1990’s when representatives from Cleveland Township started
discussions with the Park Board and park administration to obtain and
develop a park in that area of the county.
The first phase of the Elkhart County section of the Pumpkinvine
Trail was dedicated in June on National Trails Day. Elkhart County
Parks was the recipient of two grants from the Indiana Department of
Natural Resources. The first in the amount of $250,000 came from the
Lilly Endowment Fund, and the second in the amount of $900,000 was
granted from the Recreational Trails Fund from the DNR. Eventually
the Pumpkinvine Trail will connect Goshen, Middlebury, and Shipshewana.
It is anticipated that construction will start this year on the
section of trail linking Middlebury with Shipshewana.
Along with Ox Bow Park, Bonneyville Mill Park, and the River
Preserve the staff will face a challenge in managing and maintaining
each of these five parks with the budget reductions the Department is
currently experiencing.

Park Statistics
The Elkhart County Park and Recreation Board currently owns eight park sites and partners with other agencies to manage
two other sites totaling 1,837 acres. Full and Part time staff are responsible for the care and maintenance of the following
features within the park department:
Park Facilities
Bonneyville Mill Park
53373 C.R. 131 • Bristol, IN
Park Amenities:
222 acres
79 picnic tables
6 comfort stations
1 modern restroom
9 footbridges
18 grills
18 trash receptacles
6 water fountains
4 water control structures
Recreational features
7 miles of trails
1 playground
2 horseshoe pits
athletic fields
2 sledding hills
6 open shelters
1 enclosed shelter
Special features
Bonneyville Mill
Gift Shop/Barn Office
One Room Schoolhouse
Dahlia Garden
Herb Garden
Lookout Tower
Trout Stream
Ox Bow Park
23033 C.R. 45 • Goshen, IN
Park Amenities:
200 acres
7 open shelters
1 enclosed shelter
10 benches
235 picnic tables
9 comfort stations/
pit toilets
1 modern restroom
85 trash barrels
3 overlook decks
1459 feet of boardwalk
1 covered bridge
campfire pit w/grill
66 grills
5 freshwater wells
Recreational Features
7.13 miles hiking trails
1.2 paved bike trails
2 sledding hills
5 Volleyball Courts
6 Horseshoe Pits
4 Playgrounds
Archery Range
Canoe Launch
Arbor Lane
23-hole Disc Golf Course
2 Athletic Fields
Special Features
Ox Bow Haus
Tower
Chapel
Interpretive Signage
Access to MapleHeart
Trail
Accessible Fishing Pier
Cobus Creek Park
30680 C.R. 8 • Elkhart, IN
Park Amenities:
84 acres
1 shelter
1 modern rest room
Board Walk
Picnic Tables
Handicapped Picnic Site
Recreational Features
2.8 miles hiking trails
Playground
Trout Stream
Fishing Access Site
Volleyball Court
Special Features
Sensory Garden
Interpretive Overlook
Wooden Bridges
Interpretive Signage
Tall grass Prairie

River Preserve Park
67380 C.R. 29 • New Paris, IN
Park Amenities:
1,135 acres
2 shelters
3 permanent restrooms
2 seasonal restrooms
41 picnic tables
26 grills
4 drinking fountains
Recreational Features
8 River/Fishing access
points
5 miles of hiking trails
Special Features
DeFries Gardens:
homestead and Calendar
Garden
Historic Canal System
2 Dams
1 Hydroelectric Plant
Treasure Island Park
56225 Armor Ave. • Elkhart, IN
Park Amenities:
4 acres
Picnic tables
Recreational Features
Canoe access to river
Bank fishing
Lieber Nature Preserve
51602 C.R. 23 • Bristol, IN Park Amenities:
135 acres
Parking area
Observation Pier
Recreational Features
Hiking trail
Partnership with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources,
Division of Nature Preserves
Wolf Lake
60038 S.R. 15 • Goshen, IN
Park Amenities:
30 acres
No public amenities
at this time
Turkey Creek
South of Goshen, IN
Park Amenities:
23 acres
No public amenities
at this time

Historical Sites
Bonneyville Mill
53373 C.R. 131 • Bristol, IN
Site Amenities:
Oldest continually operating grist mill in Indiana
150 years old
Grinds over 10,000 pounds of flour each year
Barn Gift Shop
Baldwin One Room
School House
Bonneyville Mill County Park
One Room School House
The Baldwin One Room School House was created through the non-profit One
Room Schoolhouse, Inc. The school is located at Bonneyville Mill County Park and
provides educational programs in partnership with the One Room Schoolhouse,
Inc. and the Elkhart County Historical Society.
Elkhart County
Historical Museum
304 W. Vistula St. • Bristol, IN
Site Amenities:
12 Permanent Galleries
2 Temporary Exhibit Rooms
Genealogy Library
Home to over 22,000 artifacts owned by the Elkhart County Historical Society

Trails
Pumpkinvine Nature Trail
Elkhart County Parks presently owns and manages 3.6 miles
of paved bike trail open to the public.
MapleHeart Trail
C.R. 45 Dunlap. IN
This 4.8 mile paved bike/pedestrian trail is owned by the County
Commissioners and maintained by the Elkhart County Parks.
Other Sites Managed
Six Span Bridge Access Site
2 acres, In partnership with the
Elkhart County Commissioners
County Road 4 Parcel
42.78 acres, In partnership with
the Elkhart County Commissioners

2009 Accomplishments
• Employees worked hard through their first year of staff restructuring. Many
challenges were overcome as budgets were crunched and manpower reduced.
• The IDNR partnered with the Elkhart County Parks to offer young workers
an opportunity to be a part of the local Hoosier Conservation Youth Corps.
• An ADA drinking fountain was installed at Kum-Mol-Rie Shelter at
Bonneyville Mill.
• Bulletin board and an ADA drinking fountain were installed at Benton Dam
in River Preserve.
• New IDEM drinking water requirements were completed at Benton and
Baintertown in the River Preserve.
• An overflow tube was installed at Benton Hydro in the River Preserve.
• Completed 3 miles of paved trail and surface sealer on the Pumpkinvine
Nature Trail, including restoration of three wooden trestle bridges.
• Trout stream enhancement took place at Cobus Creek County Park in
partnership with River Tenders and Valparaiso University.
• Applied and received $1.1 million in stimulus funds for a tunnel under
US 20 for the Pumpkinvine Trail.
• Projects completed at the Calendar Garden included: Greenhouse
constructed, Fall House interior completed, and Summer Pavillion
overlook finished.
• Benches were installed along the completed portions of the Pumpkinvine.
• Completed water features, retaining walls and walkway in Sensory Garden at
Cobus Creek County Park.
• Constructed new playground and board walk at Cobus Creek.
• A new gallery was restored at the Elkhart County Historical Museum.
Parking lot was sealed at the Elkhart County Historical Museum.
• The interpretive division created a monthly e-mail newsletter that is sent to
over 300 recipients.
• Over 3,000 visitors attended the 27th Annual Bonneyville Celebration.
• Many community organizations continue to use Ox Bow County Park
to host events including: Boy Scout for the annual Klondike Derby and Cub
Scout Day Camp; Michiana Disc Golf Club for the annual Ice Bowl, Turkey
Shoot, & Michiana Open tournaments; Area High Schools for their regional
and sectional track meets including the County Clash.
• Public contacts within the office totaled 8,260 with 1,247 visitations and
7,013 phone calls.
• The Park web page received over 83,000 hits, and was visited 60,000 times
during the year.
• The Elkhart County Historical Museum Blog received over 10,000 hits.
• The Elkhart County Parks partnered with the Elkhart County Living
Magazine for Places in the Parks column which reaches 6,000 readers six
times per year.
• Over 1,000 people participated in the 2009 Pumpkinvine Bike Ride.

Annual Visitation
• The Elkhart County Parks receive an annual visitation of over 327,000
visitors. Visitors hike the trails, rent shelters, bird watch, cross country ski,
sled, jog, relax, photograph, and much more. Parks and trails are a community
asset providing opportunities for the improvement of physical and
mental health, family activities, educational opportunities, and places for
alternative transportation.
• The Elkhart County Parks interpretive staff reached a total of 56,627
people through interpretive tours, programs, visitation at mill and museum,
and outreach. The breakdown is as follows:
– The Elkhart County Historical Museum reached over 11,030 people
through museum tours, visitation, programs and events. In addition
museum staff provided community outreach to several thousand people
through such off-site events as First Fridays in Goshen. Highlights this year
included partnering with park staff, interpreters and many volunteers to
offer a new special event: The Gathering of Five Medals.
– The Interpretive Naturalists presented 314 programs and events reaching
13,482 people. Program highlights included dedications of Cobus Creek
County Park and the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail, as well as providing two
day camps and assisting with the ever-popular Cub Scout Day Camp. In
addition they reached over 18,000 people through displays and hands-on
activities at such places as the Elkhart County Fair, Science Spooktacular at
Ethos, and the Annual Photo Contest Display in the Concord Mall.
– Bonneyville Mill attracted 11,064 general visitors during open hours, and
provided 123 Mill programs to a total of 3,051 children and adults. Over
70% of Bonneyville’s visitors are tourists who provide an economic benefit
to our community. Visitors who signed the guest register came from over
45 states and 20 countries throughout the world.

Elkhart County Parks Financial Summary
Condensed Financial Report
2009 Operating Budget
4100 4200 4300 Total
Appropriated 1,263,842.00 120,400.00 180,110.00 1,564,352.00
Budget Reduction 68,241.00 10,350.00 — 78,591.00
Revised Appropriation 1,195,601.00 110,050.00 180,110.00 1,485,761.00
Expended 1,121,949.27 102,122.43 177,401.57 1,401,473.27
Ending Balance 73,651.73 7,927.57 2,708.43 84,287.73
Non Reverting Funds
#168 #181 #341
Starting Balance 109,968.63 884,944.88 161,940.52
Income 99,294.09 113,671.81 60,590.80
Expended 77,231.22 731,671.81 63,720.65
Ending Balance 132,031.50 266,944.88 158,810.67

Donations, Grants, and Sponsorships
Friends of the Pumpkinvine
Donation of 3 miles of trail and 2,000 feet of fenceline along the
Pumpkinvine Trail.
Friends of the Elkhart County Parks
Donation of time and money to support the Bonneyville Celebration
and volunteers of the Elkhart County Parks.
The Elkhart County Historical Society and the Elkhart County Parks
partnered together for the following grants and sponsorships to enhance
the Elkhart County Historical Museum:
Elkhart County Community Foundation $1,000
Funding for a Civil War youth programs at the Elkhart County
Historical Museum.
Goshen Questers
Restored a painting of Squire Powell at the Elkhart County Historical Museum.
Indiana Humanities Council $2,000
The IHC funded the addition of Discovery Carts to the Historical Museum to
allow a more hands-on atmosphere with exhibits.
National Endowment for the Humanities $ 6,000
Purchase of data loggers, storage and museum artificant vacuum.
Special thank you to Elisabeth DeFries for her continued support of the
development of the Calendar Garden in the River Preserve County Park!

Park Partners
The Elkhart County Parks Department collaborates with many individuals, agencies, and businesses throughout
Elkhart County. These Park Partners ensure successful events, funding and donations for special projects, and
offer teams of helping hands. If you would like to find a way to partner with the Elkhart County Parks, please
contact us at 574-535-6458.
CCJ-cowp
Concord Mall
Shutterhugs
Karen and Ted Fairfield
Dutchmaid Bakery
Goshen College
Bonneyville Millers Base Ball Club
Boy Scouts of America
Friends of the Elkhart County Parks, Inc.
Elkhart County Historical Society
Elkhart County Living Magazine/
Maple City Media
IDNR/Hoosier Youth
Conservation Corps
Fresh TV
Friends of the Pumpkinvine, Inc.
WNIT – Outdoor Elements
Elkhart County Genealogical Society
Elkhart County Soil & Water
Conservation District
NRCS
Elkhart County Chapter of the
Indiana Master Naturalists
Elkhart County Convention
and Visitors Bureau
Middlebury Garden Club
Goshen Public Library
Earth Keepers 4-H Club
Supreme Corporation
Goshen Painter’s Guild
John Bollinger
James and Brenda Unsworth
Innova Credit Union
Elisabeth DeFries
Bethany High School
Volunteer Recognition
Donna & Steve Arnold
Larry Andrews
Tom Ardent
Jo Ellen Bernstein
Don Bontrager
Keith Bontrager
Mac Boyer
Nancy Brown
Bob Carrico
Emily Chalupa
Carl Chupp
Jon Cutrell
Mark Daniels
Leon Dean
Beth DeFries
Jim Faigh
Karen Fairfield
Judy Ferrell
Mary Franke
Roger Franke
Karin Frey
Dwight Fish
Larry Ford
Brandi Gangloff
Steve & Linda
Gangloff Family
Angie Gingrich
Deb Good
Deborah A. Good
Danny Graber
Marilyn Groves
Becky Gute
John Hardy
Mary Hankins
Janeen Bertsche Johnson
Dottie Kauffmann
Heather Krauser
Brad Lantzer
Greg Lawson
Jean Lynn
Steve Lynn
Jim Keck
Vern Mace
Lori Massa
Karen Mackowiak
McGuire Family
Kevin Mellott
Tina Mellott
Carole Mitchell
Robert Morris
Susie Neff
Clark Niemitalo
Denny Paff
Pam Peterson
April Pressler
David Raber
Jon Raber
Dan Raber
The Skillen Family
Jim Smith
Bill Stack
Alexis Sobecki
Allen Strike
Renie Twedt
Ron Twedt
Jason Veenstra
Larry Wegrecki &
disc golf crew!
Julia Witmer
Jennifer Yant
John Yoder
Rhonda Yoder
Historical Museum
Volunteers
Lizzy and Angela Anderson
Tim Ashley
Tim Bainter
Ervin Beck
Karen Blough
Marcia Brenneman
Jessica Casciano
Mary & Bob Culp
Volunteers gave over 5,000 hours of scommunity ervice and spirit to the Elkhart County Parks
in 2009 If we accidentaly omitted your name – please let us know!
Leon Dean
Ray and Susan Enfield
Diane Erickson
Denise Kolb Hernandez
Alice Hessert
Karen Hipsher
Phyllis Hostetler
Dean and Ruth Hupp
Bob Judson
Mike Judson
Greg Miller
Faye Peterson
Martha Pickrell
Romona Reed
Bob Richardson
Donna Romero
Madison Sayre
Sara Smoker
Susan Stout
Sandy Van Tilburg
John Thompson
Dan Watson
Darlene Van Wormer
Dawn White
All the wonderful re-enactors
who gave of their time and
resources for the Gathering at
Five Medals event.