Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on October 6, 1960.
PARK BOARD TO BUY LAKE AREA
Year-Round Recreation Spot Planned
By ROLLIE BERNHART
A unanimous decision to purchase an 85-acre tract of land and lakes north of the city for a year-round recreational center was announced today by the Valparaiso Park District board.
Park Board President Thomas Carlin said today the board plans to go ahead with the purchase of the tract at Spectacle and Loomis lakes, formerly known as Knapp’s Landing, located on North Campbell road about 1.7 miles from the city limits.
According to a brochure prepared by the park board, purchase price of the land, current improvements and much equipment has been set by owner and civic leader Atty. James W. Chester at $75,000.
Below Land Values
Of this amount, cost of the land is $58,000, unanimously felt by the board as an excellent opportunity to purchase the 85-acre tract at a figure far below current land values in Valparaiso and Porter County.
Included in the $75,000 cost figure to the Park District is a 7-room caretaker’s home on which $6,000 had been previously spent for repairs and remodeling, pier and boat house, boats, picnic tables, tractor and mower, and a list of general improvements.
According to records available in the courthouse and office of the owner, Chester’s total investment to date, including interest on the land is an estimated $80,000.
These figures plus a desire to provide citizens of Valparaiso with full access to lakes heretofore denied them for many years prompted the board to decide favorably on the project.
Rolling Land
Located approximately three and one-half miles from downtown Valparaiso, approximately 50 acres of the site are rolling timber land. Remaining 35 acres are water comprising Spectacle Lake and the major portion of Loomis Lake.
Character of the area is such that it lends itself to swimming, fishing, boating, picnics, camping, family recreation during the summer, and ice skating and tobogganing in the winter.
Carlin expressed the unanimous feeling of the entire board when he said today, “All members of the board are very much enthused over the project. It is in the rough now, but we hope to make it very acceptable with funds available now and an even more outstanding recreational area for our citizens as we look ahead five or 10 years.”
Fishing Area
During the past three years the site has been used as an informal recreation area, attracting many fishermen, group and family picnics without any publicity. According to the brochure, records indicate that during the past two years revenue received from present facilities has averaged $75 per week during the summer months.
Another issue which provided impetus to the board’s decision was a phrase heard from the lips of many an interested and civic minded citizen: “What a shame the city did not acquire Sager’s Lake when that area was offered for $35,000 about 32 years ago.”
This challenge, plus the comparatively small differential between the two land and lake costs then and now, an opportunity to acquire larger and more adequate facilities, the easy accessibility from Valparaiso to the Spectacle-Loomis lakes area resulted in the board’s decision to go ahead with the project, it was noted today.
Raymond Harbey, former park president and veteran member of the board, said today, “We are primarly interested because it will provide Valparaiso with something it does not currently have, that is public access to a lake. The opportunity is now. It might be the last chance Valparaiso would have to procure this public access plus such an outstanding acreage of land for recreation of all kinds.” Board members Bruce Zimmerman and Alan Lippman have voiced similar opinions.
The board will finance the project through sale of park district bonds. According to a chart in the brochure, based on the original disbursement to be retired in 20 years, the present city park district rate of 12 cents would be increased four cents starting with year 1962.
Long Study
City Park Supt. Harold Rogers said today the project had been under speculation for three years, and has been under serious discussion since last February.
Currently Knapp’s Landing has a pier which will need widening; present boats will be used with more to be purchased; fencing will be installed across Spectical lake channel on east side of Campbell road, a 200 foot sandy swimming beach on west bank of Loomis lake will be one of initial items plus a general cleanup of land for picnics and parking. Rogers estimated the complete development to a status to compare with LaPorte’s Stone lake, would be done over a 10-year period.
Self-Supporting
Rogers also said the board is scheduled to meet in the near future to discuss with an experienced park planner initial development plans more fully and iron out problems on how to make the park self-supporting.
Rogers said the park board Monday passed a determining resolution to buy the site. A petition will be circulated before the board will pass a confirming resolution and go ahead with bids on amount of bonds to be sold.
It was also noted today that the park board, which has always worked in close cooperation with the city administration, received the blessing of the City Council on the project Monday.
Councilman Robert L. Miller said today the matter had been discussed informally among members of the City Council and there seemed to be no opposition to the plan.
