Parks staff preview fall events, market season wind-down and sustainability efforts

Elkhart City Parks Department staff on Sept. 16 reviewed recent event attendance, previewed upcoming fall and winter events and described ongoing sustainability training and partnerships.

Liz, who manages events for the parks department, reported the outdoor farmers market has two weeks remaining and outlined several recent events: a dog day and kids day where youth entrepreneurs sold goods; an August "summer chill" concert with about 256 attendees; an afternoon performance with roughly 150 attendees; a third art walk with 20 artists and improved merchant participation; and the Island of Blues Music Festival, which drew an estimated 1,000 people despite rain and a competing Notre Dame football game.

Upcoming events for the parks system include an indoor farmers market starting Oct. 11 at High Dive, Island Park trunk-or-treat on Oct. 11 and Pinewood Park’s Not So Haunted Woods on Oct. 18. Staff provided estimated previous attendance figures: about 2,500 participants for Island Park’s trunk-or-treat last year and roughly 1,600 for Pinewood’s event last year.

Superintendent Jamieson Zernicki also briefed the board on facility and program work: Walker Park restroom construction is nearing completion; pathways at Hiday Park were recently updated; and fitness equipment for Island, McNaughton and Sterling parks has been selected. Zernicki thanked staff lead Nim for coordinating equipment selection and noted the department will pursue the next procurement steps.

Zernicki described a sustainability partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and a local nonprofit, Evert, following a 12-week program the department completed. "Matt Moyers, our special projects coordinator, was really leading that for us from our end," Zernicki said, noting the department will pursue sustainability ideas and goals drawn from the program.

The board heard a volunteer report that praised robust volunteer turnout for recent events and encouraged sign-ups for remaining farmers-market shifts and upcoming indoor-market support.

No budget or contract awards tied to the events were approved in this item at the meeting; event permits were handled separately in the meeting’s votes.