Revised parking plans are moving forward in Harris Township.
The St. Joseph County Parks Board unanimously approved a 25-year lease with Harris Township Tuesday afternoon, allowing the construction of a park on a site where previous plans had sparked controversy when they called for a highway garage.
The Town of Harris will manage the financing, planning, construction and operation of the park, while the County Parks Department will retain ownership of the site.
Park officials say the park will remain at the municipal level rather than the county level due to funding constraints.
The lease, which costs $1 per year, is renewable every five years and can be terminated by the park administration at any time if necessary.
“If the St. Joe County Parks Department would assist us with a large sum of money that would enable us to convert the property into a full-fledged county park, we could do that at any time,” said Larry Catanzarite, president of the St. Joseph County Parks Department.
The agreement is pending final approval from the Harris Board, which is expected later this week, as county officials make minor changes to the agreement that would give the community design freedom for the park. They also plan to hold a public hearing to hear what the community wants to see.
“There are two other parks in Harris Township, and we envision them being similar to these,” Catanzarite said.
A longtime resident says the properties now being considered used to belong to his two uncles, and he is glad the plans are moving forward after two decades.
“It’s taken us a long time to get here, but it means a lot to us. It really does. The reason they sold it was basically because it was going to be a park, so now their dreams are coming true. Our dreams are coming true for our family,” said Terry Minix, Lives Nearby.
Others are eagerly awaiting the upcoming new development.
“There’s nothing out here. There are no trails, no parks, I can’t walk up and down Anderson Road. We’re looking forward to it, we think it’s great,” said Terry Szymansli, who lives nearby.
According to officials, the park could open sometime in 2025 once some preparatory work is completed.
