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North Vernon mayor outlines park upgrades, turf-field plan and summer concerts
Summary
Mayor Sean Gerin told a local morning program the city is planning new pickleball courts, resurfaced courts and a proposal to turf the quadplex to host weekend tournaments, while launching a five-year park master plan and promoting an Aug. 17 concert.
Mayor Sean Gerin said Monday that North Vernon is moving ahead with a series of park improvements intended to expand recreational options and draw more visitors to the city.
Speaking on a local morning program, Mayor Sean Gerin said the city recently completed new restrooms and a playground and previously installed a pool and splash pad. "The feedback on our fireworks show was very positive," Gerin said, noting rising costs for the display.
Gerin described plans to add top-of-the-line pickleball courts and to resurface existing tennis and basketball courts. He said the city is preparing a request for proposals to turf the fields at the quadplex and would offer hosts exclusive weekend rights so tournaments could bring visitors to North Vernon. Gerin said the proposal could support roughly "20 to 22 weekends out of the year," bringing people who "eat here and Shop here and and spend money here," and would reduce routine field maintenance such as diamond-dry, chalking and dragging.
"We are actually taking quotes at our next Board of work meetings to turf the fields at the quadplex," Gerin said, describing the procurement step the city intends to take.
The mayor also said the city has "initiated the process of completing a new 5-year master plan at the city park," and that officials will solicit public feedback to prioritize future projects. Gerin highlighted an unexpectedly high level of participation in the parkRC (radio-controlled) track and said the city will keep and improve that amenity rather than remove it.
Gerin recalled past discussion of a skate park and said the city will consider options carefully to "make sure that we're doing it right." He noted other park amenities, including fishing, disc golf and walking spaces, and asked residents to be patient as the city phases improvements.
On events, Gerin pointed to the success of a spring downtown concert that brought a large crowd and previewed an Aug. 17 concert featuring an Eagles tribute band. "What looked like a thousand people downtown packing the streets" attended the May show, he said, and city officials hope for an even larger turnout in August.
Next steps, Gerin said, include issuing the turfing request for proposals at an upcoming Board of Works meeting, completing the master plan with public input and scheduling ribbon-cutting ceremonies for new facilities. No formal votes or funding allocations were announced during the interview.
The program concluded with host Joe Ammerman thanking the mayor for appearing on the show.
