Logansport Parks Board approves lease renewals, park transfer and multiple agreements

The Logansport Parks and Recreation Board on March 12 approved several items by voice vote, including renewal of the Riverside Park miniature-golf lease, Resolution 2025-O3 transferring Dunwoody Park to the City of Logansport, a cost-share agreement with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to restore 10 acres at Houston Park, and a memorandum of understanding accepting a $200,000 gift for a driving-range project.

Why it matters: the votes set the city’s parks department up to continue a long-running private lease for a park attraction, clear title and management for a surplus parcel the board had previously flagged, and advance both a conservation planting project and a major fundraising gift for golf facilities that will require further implementation steps and outside approvals.

Key outcomes

- Miniature-golf lease renewal — The board approved renewing the existing lease for the Riverside Park miniature-golf operation operated by Nate McGuire. Board members discussed insurance certificates, dates of operation and the possibility of allowing additional space in the future. The motion passed on a voice vote; individual roll-call tallies were not recorded in the transcript.

- Resolution 2025-O3, transfer of Dunwoody Park — The board voted to move Resolution 2025-O3 forward on the agenda and then approved the resolution transferring Dunwoody Park to the City of Logansport. The resolution passed by voice vote. The discussion noted the park had been declared surplus in 2021 and mentioned members of the Dunwoody family and the wooded lot originally donated by a hospital.

- Cost-share agreement with Indiana DNR (Houston Park) — The board approved entering a cost-share agreement with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to plant native grasses and wildflowers on about 10 acres in the southeast corner of Houston Park. The project will require up-front spending by the parks department and later reimbursement by DNR; details and costs were discussed (see separate article on the DNR agreement). The motion passed by voice vote.

- Memorandum of understanding: Daniel C. Anderson Fund gift — The board accepted a $200,000 gift from the Daniel C. Anderson Fund, administered through the community foundation, to support development of a driving range on a recently acquired 10-acre site. The MOU was approved by voice vote. Board members described planned uses including a large tee station, concrete mats and future practice green; additional design, parking and construction steps remain.

- Grant application and promotions approval — The board approved moving forward with a Cass County Visitors Bureau grant application to support summer promotions (billboards, radio and advertising) and authorized staff to apply. Members discussed billboard placement in nearby markets to promote the golf course and local events.

- Single-day pool passes for community programs — The board approved providing one-day pool passes for community partners’ summer programs (library reading programs, bike rodeo). The passes are intended as earned rewards through partner programs.

What the votes did not include

None of the actions approved at the meeting moved immediately to construction or permanent land conveyance beyond the approved resolution to transfer Dunwoody Park to the city; several items require subsequent administrative or Board of Works approvals, funding transfers, or permit reviews. Individual vote tallies were not recorded in the public transcript; motions were carried by voice vote with “aye” noted in each case.

Looking ahead

Board members and staff said several approved items will return for implementation details: the DNR cost-share requires Board of Works signoff and a reimbursement process; the driving-range gift will be followed by design and site work; and the marketing grant application and billboard placements depend on final approvals and budgets.