The Zionsville Parks and Recreation Board July 12 for its regular monthly meeting at Town Hall.
Zionsville Parks and Recreation Supt. Jarod Logsdon mentioned in his report that the results of the pilot year of the nature connections program at Eagle Elementary School were well above expectations. Nature connections is a program that introduces children in elementary schools to nature through hands-on learning.
“We had the opportunity to meet with the schools and they were over the moon ecstatic with the results from the program,” Logsdon said. “(The schools) do wish for it to extend to all elementaries, but we are looking at providing those nature connections programs for both Eagle Elementary and Trailside next year. So, we are adjusting costs for that and are looking forward to implementing that in schools in Zionsville.”
The program will be partially supported by a private donation that was given anonymously in December 2022. The $100,000 gift is going to be divided between park improvements and funding 10 years of community programming.
“One of the most beloved aspects of our community is the abundance of or parks, and we proudly refer to Zionsville as a town within a park,” Logsdon said. “With this generous gift, we are prioritizing efforts that not only seek to enhance the wellness of our residents but also enhance the well-being of our natural spaces and the species that grow within them.”
Logsdon said some projects the gift will go toward might include public art installations, event placards and funding music and art equipment.
Additionally, Logsdon said the parks department will allocate $5,000 annually to fund Zionsville’s growing natural resources for the next 10 years.
“We’re fortunate that we have generous people in our community who are willing to donate to that level,” said John Stehr, president of the Zionsville Parks and Recreation Board. “And Jarod has been very creative in using it in a way that’s going to last for half of a generation.”
Jill Pack, vice president of the Zionsville Parks and Recreation Board, said the department received another gift, a grant for almost 650 meal feed plants. She said the grant will boost pollinators in Zionsville. Thes plants will be planted along the rail trail and throughout parks in Zionsville.
Zionsville Golf Course manager Mike Wall said the golf course is exceeding expectations as well this year and is doing well financially. He said the course has accumulated $310,000 for the year so far from membership passes, rounds and selling assets. He said the course is aiming for more than $500,000 for the year, which would be a record.
The Zionsville Golf Course has sold 59 student passes this year. Three years ago, no student passes were sold. To date, 59 percent of the course’s membership is comprised of students, and 91 percent is made up of students and seniors.
Resolutions that passed toward the conclusion of the meeting included permission for Kona Ice and other outside vendors to cater to shelter reservations; the implementation of a new memorial bench next to the staircase in Overley-Worman Park, which will become the first seat of relief in the park for people with mobility issues; and the 2023-06 resolution that lays out a five-year plan for the parks.
Each of resolution was passed unanimously by the board.
The next Zionsville Parks and Recreation Board meeting will be at 7 p.m. Aug. 9 at Zionsville Town Hall.
For more about the five year plan, go to youarecurrent.com/2022/07/20/zionsville-parks-and-recreation-prepares-for-next-five-years/.
