New county park possible for Granger

GRANGER, Ind. (WNDU) - Plans are still in the early stages for a proposed St. Joseph County Park to be built in the northeast corner of Granger.

Steve Slauson, the executive director of St. Joseph County Parks, said the parks board has “land-banked” 115 acres off Anderson and Beech Roads since 1999 for future development. A farmer has tended to the property located just west of Terri Brooke Estates in the meantime.

The anticipated county park would feature walking trails, shelters, and possibly a playground area.

“That space out there gives us a great opportunity, because basically, it’s just a big, flat open property. And so we have a lot of opportunity to, to develop that property, kind of make it what, what we want, what we would like to see as a county park, and what the public would like to see in that area, because obviously, we want the public’s feedback to know what they would like in that market,” said Slauson.

Granger resident Joan Nowak wouldn’t mind seeing another park, given Harris Township Park (located off Brummitt Road) is the nearest space for her and her grandchildren.

“I think I would like it - taking the kids in the strollers and getting some exercise for a lot of people. A lot of people walk in the neighborhood, but you get tired of the same scenery,” Nowak offered.

Seven of the 115 acres would be allocated for a satellite maintenance facility for St. Joseph County highway trucks and plows. The accommodation and partnership includes a funding incentive for the planned Granger county park.

“[The county has] a need to put maybe a little small facility out on that Anderson Road property. And along with that, they would like to help the county parks develop that land into a county park. So you know, it gives us kind of the funding component piece to make that happen,” Slauson explained.

Approval for the plans still needs to be sought from the St. Joseph County Parks Board along with the St. Joseph County Council and the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners.

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