Tag:Culver
Canoe/Kayak Poker Run
The Lake Maxinkuckee Environmental Council (LMEC) is sponsoring a Canoe/Kayak Poker Run at Lakefest this year. They currently have 25 registrants and are looking for another 27. I think Kathy wants to try playing with a full deck…
If you’re interested, contact Kathy Clark at the LMEC office at (574) 842-3686 or stop by at 116 North Main Street, Culver. You can also find a registration form online here. The registration deadline has been extended to July 11th at 3:00 pm. Participants will get a tee shirt commemorating the event.
It should be a fun event! Canoes and Kayaks will hit the water Friday, July 20th, at 5:oopm. Good luck to everyone that decides to give it a try!
Update on Kris Bex at Culver Kiwanis
Jeff Kenney
Just as an update to our previous post here, Jeff Kenney wrote a piece regarding Kris Bex’s presentation to the Culver Kiwanis Club in the June 14th edition of the Culver Citizen. (You can click on the article to the below to enlarge it.) Thanks for the plug Jeff!
I would imagine Jeff found a kindred soul in Kris Bex, knowing Jeff’s interests in writing and history. The Remnant Trust’s focused mission to preserve documents promoting Liberty and Dignity makes it a unique asset to Northern Indiana.
I will be attending a Remnant Trust event this evening. There will be a tour of the facility, some period character actors and a social gathering for local supporters. I’m looking forward to the event (even though I’m forced to wear a tie!). It is always interesting to go back to completed projects and see how they evolve from the original plans. The Remnant Trust is a particularly interesting example since the facility serves as somewhat of a museum and is constantly changing their displays and presentations.
MCEDC Culver Update
Jennifer Laurent, Executive Director of Marshall County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC), gave an update to the Culver Town Council last night. Aside from giving a report on some of the activities MCEDC is involved in throughout the County, she discussed some of the specifics for Culver. One these was her interactions with Elkay Wood Products, formerly Medallion Cabinetry. Jennifer facilitated a radio interview June 15th on WTCA with Rick Coffman, Operations Manager, to discuss what they do and what their plans for the future are. I think a key point here is that no one else in Culver is making these kind of contacts and making sure our largest industrial client is helped.
Jennifer also commended the Plan Commission and Redevelopment Commission for making the first steps towards a new Comprehensive Plan. (20/20 Vision for Culver!) She stressed some of the visioning needs that the plan should address along with the nuts & bolts infrastructure and land planning functions.
This is much like what I’ve been trying to promote with the various groups… We need to use the development of the new Comprehensive Plan as the catalyst for new ideas about Culver’s future. Communities are either growing or dying. Maintaining the Status Quo is impossible.
Jennifer is also working with Culver’s new Town Manager, Jeff Schoeff, to coordinate some training sessions for the Redevelopment Commission, Plan Commission and Town Council. One important topic will be TIF Districts. Others topics relating to finances and the various powers of these boards will be considered as well.
I hope the council members and those in the audience recognize the value Culver gets from leveraging their funds in with Marshall County and the other Marshall County communities. Budgets will no doubt be tight again this year, but without MCEDC, who would be doing these things for Culver? We have so many individuals with good intentions, but they can’t make up for someone with dedicated time and tenure based on performance.
Culver Redevelopment Commission
Last night the Culver Redevelopment Commission met for their regular monthly meeting. Kathy Clark spoke to the group in support of some projects that had come before them. (Kathy was the chair of the Redevelopment Commission when it was first formed.)
She was there to help my cause of getting the Redevelopment Commission to fund the new Comprehensive Plan. She stated that the Comprehensive plan is an integral part of retaining and bringing new business to Culver by setting goals and planning on where development should occur. She cited examples of how the original Redevelopment Commission used the Comprehensive Plan to determine how to layout the TIF districts and where to spend the money that was provided by the TIF districts. She also gave her reasoning on where TIF money should be spent. The Commission was moved by her insights and has chosen to fund the Comprehensive Plan. They did put some caveats on the cost and they did ask for involvement in selecting the consultant, but overall it was a big step forward. Culver just may get 20/20 vision before 2020 arrives!
Bob Porter, Culver Utilities Superintendent, was there to request funding for a clock to be added to the Downtown Revitalization Project. The Commission agreed to fund this too, probably due to Kathy’s pep talk. Bob didn’t give a lot of details other than that it would be a four faced post clock which would be set in the Right-of-Way somewhere around the intersection of Main Street and Jefferson Street.
Tom Kearns and Mike Stallings were there from the Culver Tree Commission requesting funding for a tree project to improve School Street starting at the intersection with S.R. 10 and running south to Academy Road. (See sketch) Tom indicated that they had the support of all the property owners involved. He also stated that the tree selections were made with the power lines in mind as well as a goal of having color throughout the year. It was a good night to visit the Redevelopment Commission as they chose to fund this project as well!
Culver’s Firemen’s Memorial
Should it be Firemen’s or Fireman’s? In any case, Culver Union Township Fire Department (CUTFD) is considering erecting a Memorial where they can honor the firemen that dedicated their time and energy to the protection of lives and property in the Town of Culver and surrounding Union Township. They currently have a two memorial plaques on the building for past Fire Chiefs. It would be difficult to install more without changing the prominence, plus since a new building is being considered, a better location/system is needed.
CUTFD Secretary/Treasurer, Dave Cooper, asked me to come up with a suitable design for this project. He asked that I incorporate the bell that currently hangs in front of the Fire Station. They also have a hose cart that they want included. They want an appropriate memorial where markers could be added over time.
The sketch above (Thanks Mary Ellen!) shows the main memorial wall. It mimics some of the natural field stone work in the existing planter in front of the Fire Station. This is an element that was recommended as a continuing theme in the Culver Design Charrette. The field stone and limestone theme is also seen in the “Welcome to Culver” sign (see picture at left) at the intersection of Lake Shore Drive and Highways 10 & 17 as well as other places throughout town.
The wall is a curved wall on a 15′ radius which would have their antique hose cart as a focal point near the radius center. The original design called for a paver plaza in front of the memorial with the hose cart (picture to the right) in the center. Currently the firemen are considering using the plaza pavers as a fundraising mechanism similar to what was done at Heritage Park.
The bell that is currently mounted in the existing planter (See picture to the left) would be relocated to the center of the new memorial. It would be fixed in place as it is now, but it would be more accessible where it could be touched. It will be recessed into the masonry and supported by a steel lintel.
The sketch shows Tempest Torches on the columns at either end. (See the picture to the right.) These are gas fired torches that would draw attention to the memorial. They could be lit for events or special occasions, i.e. Lakefest, Firemen’s Festival, Lion’s Club Corn Roast, Lake Maxinkuckee Film Festival, etc., but remain decorative the rest of the time if they chose not to keep them lit. It seemed fitting to use fire as part of the memorial and it plays into an eternal flame theme. The firemen are considering these, but they could be removed to save expense.
I gave several other options for them to consider, such as a Philharmonic fire and water fountain. What could be better for firemen than a display that includes BOTH fire and water!?! I also suggested the possibility to add benches or possibly a triple pole flag display.
My suggestion for the individual memorial plaques would be to get bronze castings in the shape of the fire helmet badges (picture to the right) used by CUTFD. The plaques could be cast with names, dates, numbers or whatever other symbols of significance they chose. The sketch shows bands of limestone set into the wall where the memorial markers could be anchored. These could be set permanently with inaccessible epoxy anchors.
The firemen would like to place this memorial in the lawn area on the south side of the firemen’s parking lot. I am suggesting that it be placed towards the corner on the west side, angled with its center line 45 degrees to the sidewalk intersection. This would orient it somewhat towards the fire station while keeping the focus towards Lake Shore Drive. This would minimize the disruption to the site, existing trees and ancillary uses such as the Lake Maxinkuckee Film Festival’s donor dinner.
I have suggested that a donor website be created to generate interest in the project and to solicit donations. The generosity of the Culver community is often amazing and possibly a donor that has had their lives touched by these dedicated public servants may step forward with a donation that would cover one of the larger elements. That would make the memorial that much more significant. As always, comments or suggestions are welcome here. Changes are always easier while the project is at the paper stage, so this is the time for input.
