Kosciusko County parks board schedules March 20 groundbreaking for Chinworth Bridge trail extension; press release, naming and permissions still pending

John (role/title not specified) told the Kosciusko County Parks and Recreation Board that Triad has been sold and that his new employer is handling the trail project; he said a groundbreaking for the Chinworth Bridge trail extension is set for March 20 at 4:00 p.m.

Why it matters: The extension will connect an existing trailhead at the Chinworth Bridge into the county trail network and, according to board discussion, provide safer trail access for nearby neighborhoods. Board members and staff spent most of the meeting finalizing publicity details, clarifying property ownership at the trailhead and reviewing the timing of master‑plan approvals that could affect naming and signage.

Board and staff clarified logistics for the March 20 ceremony. "The plan is that we all meet down by the bridge at the current trailhead parking area," John said, describing a short ceremonial shovel‑and‑hard‑hat photo, refreshments and an information board prepared by the contractor’s marketing team. He said the extension project is about "0.8 miles." Amy (role/title not specified) and Katie (role/title not specified) told the board they intend to issue a press release next week but asked that the Kosciusko County Historical Society — which Katie said owns the bridge property — be informed and invited before the release goes out.

Board members debated what to call the new segment in public materials. Several participants recommended continuing to describe the work as an "extension of the Lake City Greenway," while others said the funding and project documents have long used the name Chinworth (variously spoken of as Chinworth Trail or Chinworth Bridge Trail Extension). "For continuity and what people have heard, just keep it the same," one board member said; another suggested using "Chinworth Bridge Trail Extension" in the short-term and reserving a system‑wide renaming for when design guidelines and the master plan are final.

Staff and board discussed approvals that remain. The Blueway/Greenway master plan and design guidelines are not yet adopted; Amy said those materials are scheduled for plan commission review in early March and would still require county‑commissioner approval afterward. "We will not add [the master plan] to the press release if it is not ready to be released," Amy said.

The board also discussed marketing details: a photo board showing the proposed extension, half‑sheets about the project and logos to appear on signage and materials. John said the contractor’s marketing lead is preparing a display board and cookies branded for the event. Staff asked board members to identify whom they want in the ceremonial photo and to provide preferred logos; the contractor (identified in meeting materials) is funding the marketing materials.

Members agreed to invite the Historical Society to the ceremony and noted the society’s property ownership creates two practical requirements: (1) invite its leadership for the event and (2) secure permission for construction to begin on the society’s property. "The groundbreaking is on their property. They should probably be invited," a board member said. Rob (role/title not specified) and John agreed to reach out to the historical society leadership before issuing the public release.

The board used the meeting to plan next steps on public engagement and volunteer efforts tied to the new trail segment. Members proposed a countywide "trail summit" bringing towns and trail groups together and discussed forming a Friends‑of‑the‑Trails subcommittee and a donation fund at the community foundation to accept gifts for trail maintenance. "Because we soon are going to have a brand new trail that we're responsible for, we should start to build out the concept of that friends organization," one board member said.

Votes at a glance: The board approved two sets of minutes (Dec. 19 and Jan. 16) by motion and voice vote. Motion: "Move that we approve both minutes as written." Mover: speaker not identified by full name in the transcript; seconded; outcome: approved.

What’s next: Staff planned to finalize the press release by the end of the week, confirm invitations and permissions with the Kosciusko County Historical Society, provide marketing teams with logo files, and monitor weather and site readiness before a contractor start. The board expects the Blueway/Greenway plan to proceed through plan commission review before returning to county commissioners for final adoption.

Ending: Board members asked staff to circulate final invitations and marketing proofs and agreed to reconvene on procedural items at the next scheduled meeting.