Middlebury Parks Department

Photo by: John Jay Smith

What’sHappening in the Parks from your Middlebury Park Board

Well, it’s not Middlebury’s 1933-1934 Chicago World’s Fair original windmill, but a smaller replica that will be the main feature of the Elkhart County Convention and Visitors Bureau’s (ECC VB) booth at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show March 18-22. The Middlebury Parks and Recreation Department is partnering with Wellfield Botanical Garden, Michiana Master Gardeners, and the ECC VB to develop and man the booth at the garden show, as well as constructing the replica windmill.

For 2020, the flower and garden show is partnering with the American Quilters Society. The show will feature gardening, flowers, and quilts which complement our Quilt Gardens along the Heritage Trail initiative. The ECC VB booth will promote and benefit Elkhart County, the Quilt Garden tour, the town of Middlebury, and Krider World’s Fair Garden. Krider World’s Fair Garden Windmill is going back to Chicago!

Upcoming Events in March Five-Year Master Plan The Five-Year Master Plan will be presented to the public at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, March 23, in the Middlebury Town Hall. The park board and parks and recreation department invite you to attend to hear where we’re going.

Pruning Workshop Don’t forget the Pruning Workshop at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 28, in Riverbend Park. Let the Middlebury Tree Board help you with when and how to prune and what tools are best. See you there!

Bicycle safety W armer weather will be here soon, which means more people will be outdoors riding bikes on our local roads and trails. Here are a few safety reminders: • Always travel on the right side of the trail. • Wear a bicycle helmet. Everyone – all ages – should wear bicycle helmets. • See and be seen. Wear bright clothes and something that reflects light. On the road: • Ride with traffic; • Use hand signals; • Look before any turns; • Follow all traffic laws; On the trails: • Stay on right unless passing; • Pass on left and use bell or voice to signal passing; • The speed limit on our local trails is 15 mph; • Stop signs mean STOP – stop and look at all intersections! Please share the trail and be respectful of other users. Our trails are used by many: walkers, joggers, roller blades, casual bikers, and fitness bikers.

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THE B IG EVENT

The Vibrant Communities movement, along with hundreds of Elkhart County residents, united on January 22 at the Lerner Theatre to show how much they love where they live and celebrate everything that makes Elkhart County a great place to live, work, learn and play.

The event celebrated several years of resident involvement in promoting quality-of-place projects and initiatives in the six communities of Elkhart County. “Starting four years ago, residents from every city and every town in Elkhart County, helped us put an action agenda together,” stated Vibrant Communities Co-Chair Suzie Weirick. “That agenda consisted of 77 things to do – an ambitious plan to make a profound difference in our connected communities. And I’m proud to say most of the action items are either in progress, or have already been completed.”

The Big Event also introduced Elkhart County’s new Destination Brand Identity: Well Crafted. Vibrant Communities co-chair Arvis Dawson shared that the new Destination Brand Identity culminates years of work. “The process to get where we are today was a disciplined one. It involved research, and consultation with citizens throughout Elkhart County,” Dawson stated. “We compared ourselves to other regions around the country and worked hard to figure out two things: What makes Elkhart County different and what makes us different in a way that matters to outsiders – people who will want to come here and experience the things we have to offer – particularly because they can’t get that experience anywhere else.” C o-chairs Arvis Dawson and Suzie Weirick also thanked the hundreds of individuals who’ve been named Vibrant People in Elkhart County, along with more than 60 winners of Little Big Idea

Grants who have made a distinct difference across the county.

New initiatives such as Vibrant Champions, Vibrant Neighborhoods as well as The Coolest Thing Made in Elkhart County were also unveiled. Peter Kageyama, an internationally sought-after community development consultant and grassroots engagement strategist who delivered a stunning and inspirational presentation to help launch the Vibrant Communities movement in January 2016, returned as the keynote speaker at The Big Event. Kageyama’s message focused on how emotions such as love for a place have a tremendous influence on how residents and visitors experience a city. “Four years ago, we had a conversation that lit a bunch of fires. This year we’re going to celebrate those fires and figure out those next steps and where we’re going to take this,” he said.

A large exhibition of unique products and services made by the companies and people of Elkhart County were also on display across from the theater in the adjacent Crystal Ballroom. Love Elkhart County? W hen you love where you live, you relish chances to contribute to the community and help make your neighborhood, workplace or city that much better. H ere’s how you can get involved: • Become one of our Vibrant Champions. • Be inspired by our achievements, our amazing neighbors, and the fun things we’ve created. • Share your love of Elkhart County with your friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, hair stylist, dog groomer, the cashier at the grocery store, etc. • Sign up for our monthly newsletter. For more information, visit https:// vibrantelkhartcounty.org/.