Published: September 16, 2009 10:16 pm      

The price of recreation

As budgets tighten, parks are often the first place officials look to make cuts

Check out the print edition of the Logansport Pharos-Tribune as we begin "Parks & Recreation

Fighting to survive in a time of shrinking budgets," a four-part series that looks at parks and recreational opportunities in the area.



Often under appreciated, parks provide numerous recreational experiences for a town or city’s residents and visitors.

Yet, in these days of tightening budgets, the first cuts municipalities often make come in their parks departments.

Beginning today, the Pharos-Tribune looks at several different areas regarding parks and recreational opportunities in Cass and the surrounding counties.

Look outside of Logansport, and the closest cities each have their own unique opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy themselves.

Thousands of people annually make the trip to Monticello for a visit to Indiana Beach and its amusement rides. And the park has made its own changes to help people through the recession.

In Peru, museums, the Circus City Festival and Peru Amateur Circus offer a taste of what was once the highlight of small towns and cities across America.

A number of lakes provide Rochester with numerous aquatic-based recreational activities.

And while other cities might be forced into cutting budgets for parks, funds aren’t a problem in Winamac, whose town park may be the jewel of northern Indiana’s small cities.



Parks & Recreation

Fighting to survive in a time of shrinking budgets

A four-part series:

Today: Four surrounding cities provide a wide range of activities for people to enjoy — lakes, an amusement park, museums and a simple town park.

Friday: Two state-run facilities, Tippecanoe State Park and Mississinewa Lake, provide a number of outdoor activities, including camping, hiking, boating and swimming. In addition, the Logansport area also provides a walking and cycling enthusiasts with a number of trails.

Saturday: A former stone quarry, France Park has become a destination for people looking for a number of recreational opportunities. Yet, the 515-acre gem’s outlook is clouded due to the possibilities of funding issues in the future. Parks in the county’s small towns have seen numerous improvements within the last few years to bring more opportunities to local townspeople.

Sunday: Property tax reform has made planning for the Logansport Parks Department a venture in crystal ball reading. While it has the opportunity to develop a brand new park from the ground up, the question of funding has slowed the development of Huston Park and funding problems have put the Ben Long Community Center on the city’s list of surplus property. For parks administrator Jan Fawley, however, keeping Tower Park Pool open in the future is not only a matter of providing summer refreshment but a safety issue as well.