Elkhart County Parks & Recreation Master Plan 2019 – 2023 April 2019 Prepared for: Prepared by: Elkhart County Parks & Recreation Lehman & Lehman, Inc. Department Landscape Architecture and Planning 211 W. Lincoln Avenue 510 Linconway East Goshen, IN 46526-3280 Mishawaka, IN 46544 This report documentation was prepared under contract Elkhart County Parks and Recreation by: Charles F. Lehman, ASLA, President Lehman & Lehman, Inc., Landscape Architecture and Planning 510 Lincolnway East Mishawaka, Indiana 46544 All Rights Reserved. Except as it is used by the client in direct relation to the master plan implementation, no part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any way without expressed permission by Lehman & Lehman, Inc. Copyright 2019 Lehman & Lehman, Inc. Prepared for: Elkhart County Parks & Recreation Department 211 W. Lincoln Avenue Goshen, IN 46526-3280 Table of Contents Section A: Introduction Introduction ............................................................................. Page A – 3 Planning Team ......................................................................... Page A – 3 Planning Area ........................................................................... Page A – 4 Planning Area Map .................................................................. Page A – 4 Master Plan Goals ................................................................... Page A – 5 Section B: Park Agency Profile Park Department Location ....................................................... Page B – 3 Park Department Staff ............................................................. Page B – 3 Park Department History ......................................................... Page B – 3 Mission Statement ................................................................... Page B – 4 Guiding Principles .................................................................... Page B – 4 Organization Structure ............................................................ Page B – 5 Elkhart County Park Board ....................................................... Page B – 6 Partnerships. ............................................................................. Page B– 6 City’s Fiscal Resources ............................................................. Page B – 8 Facility Inventory .................................................................. Page B – 10 Elkhart County Park Facilities Map ........................................ Page B – 11 Parks & Recreation Facilities Inventory ................................. Page B – 13 Trails and Greenways ............................................................ Page B – 14 Bonneyville Mill Park ............................................................. Page B – 15 Boot Lake Nature Preserve .................................................... Page B – 17 Cobus Creek Park ................................................................... Page B – 18 Ox Bow Park ........................................................................... Page B – 19 River Preserve Park ................................................................ Page B – 21 DeFries Garden ...................................................................... Page B – 23 Treasure Island ...................................................................... Page B – 24 Pumpkinvine Nature Trail ...................................................... Page B – 25 Undeveloped Park Land ......................................................... Page B – 26 Wolf Lake Site ................................................................ Page B – 26 Elkhart County Parks and Recreation Master Plan 2019-2023 Table of Contents Page – 1 Turkey Creek Site ........................................................... Page B – 27 Corson Riverwoods Park ................................................ Page B – 28 Historical Sites ....................................................................... Page B – 29 Bonneyville Mill ............................................................. Page B – 29 Elkhart County Historical Museum ................................ Page B – 30 Park Partnerships ................................................................... Page B – 35 Six-Span Bridge Site ....................................................... Page B – 35 Lieber Nature Preserve .................................................. Page B – 36 Park Programs and Events ..................................................... Page B – 37 Compliance with State and Federal Regulations (ADA) ......... Page B – 42 Section C: Community Profile History and Settlement of Elkhart County ............................... Page C – 3 Location of Elkhart County ...................................................... Page C – 3 Distances from Elkhart County ................................................ Page C – 3 Elkhart County Government .................................................... Page C – 4 Elkhart County Board of Commissioners ......................... Page C – 4 Elkhart County Council ..................................................... Page C – 4 Major Industries ...................................................................... Page C – 5 Transportation ........................................................................ Page C – 5 Natural Features and Landscape ............................................. Page C – 5 Water Resources ...................................................................... Page C - 6 Forest Resources ..................................................................... Page C – 7 Historic and Cultural Features ................................................. Page C – 9 Downtowns ...................................................................... Page C – 9 Neighborhoods ................................................................ Page C – 9 Communities .................................................................. Page C – 10 Recreation ............................................................................. Page C – 10 Vibrant Communities ............................................................. Page C – 10 Demographics ........................................................................ Page C – 10 Section D: Public Participation Park and Recreation Issues ...................................................... Page D – 3 Table of Contents Page – 2 Elkhart County Parks and Recreation Master Plan 2019-2023 Public Meetings and Presentation of the Plan ........................ Page D – 3 Park Staff Retreat and SWOT Analysis ..................................... Page D – 4 Community Survey ................................................................ Page D – 12 Focus Groups ......................................................................... Page D – 25 Joint Meeting with Park Agencies of Elkhart County ............. Page D – 31 Needs Analysis ....................................................................... Page D – 34 Section E: Plan of Action Department Goals and Strategies ............................................. Page E – 3 Plan of Action ........................................................................... Page E – 4 Proposed Action Plan ............................................................... Page E – 5 Action Year Budget Summary ............................................... Page E – 15 Funding Resources ................................................................. Page E – 17 Section F: Resolutions and Approval Board Resolution Adopting Master Plan ................................... Page F – 3 Section 504 Assurance of Compliance ...................................... Page F – 5 IDNR Approval Letter ................................................................. Page F –7 Appendix Elkhart County Parks and Recreation Master Plan 2019-2023 Table of Contents Page – 3 Section A: Introduction Introduction ................................................................................................................................... Page A – 3 Planning Team ............................................................................................................................... Page A – 3 Planning Area ................................................................................................................................. Page A – 4 Planning Area Map ........................................................................................................................ Page A – 4 Master Plan Goals .......................................................................................................................... Page A – 5 Elkhart County Parks and Recreation Master Plan 2019-2023 Page A – 1 Page A – 2 Elkhart County Parks and Recreation Master Plan 2019-2023 Introduction The purpose behind any planning document is to provide a framework in which to complete important tasks. Having a plan allows decision makers to more easily determine where they are, where they want to go, how they will get there, and how they will know when they’ve arrived. The Lehman & Lehman Planning Team was retained in December 2017 to prepare a master plan for Elkhart County Parks. This parks master plan was finalized and adopted by the Elkhart County Park Board on April 8, 2019. It will enable the Parks to continue balanced planning for the overall park system, meeting local recreation needs within available resources, and to help the Parks and Recreation Board, community members and leaders to establish their current