Parks Board discusses DORA, proposed parking lot

Apr. 20—GREENSBURG — The Greensburg Decatur County Parks and Recreation Board, which met April 15, is considering options available for providing additional parking at Rebekah Park on the city's east side and also heard from Greensburg Mayor Joshua Marsh regarding the recently Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) that includes the downtown Square and a corridor along Main Street to and including Rebekah Park.

The board heard from Greensburg City Engineer Zach Wirrig and Mayor Marsh about proposed parking lot upgrades to Rebekah Park. It has previously been noted that with more visitors to Rebekah Park, the current parking lot flow is unsafe.

Wirrig highlighted three potential parking lot designs. One option would have 45 parking spaces and cost an estimated $178,000. A 79 space lot would cost roughly $299,650, and an 85 space lot would cost approximately $420,700. This project would not include upgrades to the restrooms at Rebekah Park, which is another item Kovacich wants to address while the pedestrian trail expansion is underway. The expense of the pedestrian trail expansion is covered by the Next Levels Trails Grant. The parking lot and restroom upgrades would not be covered by this grant.

Mayor Marsh explained to the board that when the City of Greensburg applied for a $420,000 Next Level Trails Grant, one item included was the option to install a parking lot if funds allowed.

"We were not awarded enough funds to cover the trail plus the parking," Marsh said, "but the city is paying for the design work to happen for a parking lot. That's where it's at."

(For more on this issue, see related story on page A3 of today's Daily News).

Mayor Marsh was also on hand to answer questions from the board about DORA policies.

"There's this misconception," Marsh said, "that it provides a blank check for open containers. That's completely inaccurate. In Indiana, I can go open a beer and walk down the sidewalk. That is 100% legal."

Indiana's open container laws, per Marsh, only apply to vehicles.

"What [DORA] does is, it's an established area," where a customer may purchase a limited number of beverages. Marsh provided an example: "State law says that a vendor — either permanent or temporary — cannot sell you, individually, more than two 16 ounce beers or two 10 ounce wines or two mixed drinks at a time. I could go to the tAAp, I could buy two 16 ounce beers, but that's it. In theory, I could walk all the way to Rebekah Park. They have to be in a DORA-approved vessel which at this time is a 16 ounce clear Solo cup with the logo on it. That way, it is traceable, if you will."

Marsh noted DORA is designed primarily for events, such as the Summer Concert Series, which has a beer garden and would require a temporary permit.

"It just provides the option that it can go anywhere versus inside the rope. I can't take a six pack and carry it out to Rebekah Park. It's not just an open container thing, because we already have that," he said.

Marsh wrapped up by saying DORA "really didn't change anything."

As was previously reported by the Daily News, the DORA district includes the following stipulations:

* Patrons 21+ are welcome to enjoy the DORA district.

* The DORA district can be utilized from 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday and Sunday.

* DORA beverages must be served in the DORA-approved cup. Approved vendors may purchase cups from Game Plan Graphics by calling (812) 663-3238.

* Businesses participating in the DORA designation will mark themselves with a special sticker signifying participation.

* Patrons may not carry DORA beverages into another establishment that serves alcoholic beverages.

* DORA beverages must remain within the DORA boundary.

* Glass containers with alcohol in them are not permitted within the DORA boundary.

In other news, the board discussed park scheduling practices. Kovacich said that the eclipse event held at North Park did not go through the Parks Department to schedule the event.

"I didn't know there was one over there for us to be prepared for," Kovacich said, "until really close to and I accidentally came across that."

Kovacich indicated she received a phone call from someone affiliated with the event at noon on Sunday, April 7, inquiring when the Parks Department would be opening the restrooms for the eclipse event.

"I explained to her," Kovacich told the board, "that she did not go through me at all to schedule the event, so therefore we had not opened the restrooms, which we don't open at North Park until late June."

Kovacich advised the caller to contact Visit Greensburg or the City of Greensburg to see if either organization had an extra portable toilet that could be moved to North Park.

The Decatur County Pride affiliated individual indicated to Kovacich that they had registered the event with Visit Greensburg but not with the City of Greensburg. Ultimately, a portable restroom was located and delivered to North Park for the event.

According to Kovacich, the takeaway from this situation is that it's "crucial that anyone that wants to use park facilities be referred to our office, so we have one main calendar," detailing who, what, when, and where an event is, "because I couldn't get water turned on or anything on a Sunday at noon to help her."

Kovacich noted that while, "people get together all the time" in parks and don't need to let the Parks Department know, if they're organizing an event that requires restrooms and other facilities, it's important for the department to be aware and prepared.

Kovacich wants to add an area to the Parks Department website to register public events; a board member suggested placing signs in the parks with information on how to reserve facilities for an event.

GREENSBURG — The Greensburg Decatur County Parks and Recreation Board, which met April 15, is considering options available for providing additional parking at Rebekah Park on the city's east side and also heard from Greensburg Mayor Joshua Marsh regarding the recently Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) that includes the downtown Square and a corridor along Main Street to and including Rebekah Park.

The board heard from Greensburg City Engineer Zach Wirrig and Mayor Marsh about proposed parking lot upgrades to Rebekah Park. It has previously been noted that with more visitors to Rebekah Park, the current parking lot flow is unsafe.

Wirrig highlighted three potential parking lot designs. One option would have 45 parking spaces and cost an estimated $178,000. A 79 space lot would cost roughly $299,650, and an 85 space lot would cost approximately $420,700. This project would not include upgrades to the restrooms at Rebekah Park, which is another item Kovacich wants to address while the pedestrian trail expansion is underway. The expense of the pedestrian trail expansion is covered by the Next Levels Trails Grant. The parking lot and restroom upgrades would not be covered by this grant.

Mayor Marsh explained to the board that when the City of Greensburg applied for a $420,000 Next Level Trails Grant, one item included was the option to install a parking lot if funds allowed.

"We were not awarded enough funds to cover the trail plus the parking," Marsh said, "but the city is paying for the design work to happen for a parking lot. That's where it's at."

Mayor Marsh was also on hand to answer questions from the board about DORA policies.

"There's this misconception," Marsh said, "that it provides a blank check for open containers. That's completely inaccurate. In Indiana, I can go open a beer and walk down the sidewalk. That is 100% legal."

Indiana's open container laws, per Marsh, only apply to vehicles.

"What [DORA] does is, it's an established area," where a customer may purchase a limited number of beverages. Marsh provided an example: "State law says that a vendor — either permanent or temporary — cannot sell you, individually, more than two 16 ounce beers or two 10 ounce wines or two mixed drinks at a time. I could go to the tAAp, I could buy two 16 ounce beers, but that's it. In theory, I could walk all the way to Rebekah Park. They have to be in a DORA-approved vessel which at this time is a 16 ounce clear Solo cup with the logo on it. That way, it is traceable, if you will."

Marsh noted DORA is designed primarily for events, such as the Summer Concert Series, which has a beer garden and would require a temporary permit.

"It just provides the option that it can go anywhere versus inside the rope. I can't take a six pack and carry it out to Rebekah Park. It's not just an open container thing, because we already have that," he said.

Marsh wrapped up by saying DORA "really didn't change anything."

The board discussed park scheduling practices. Kovacich said that the eclipse event held at North Park did not go through the Parks Department to schedule the event.

"I didn't know there was one over there for us to be prepared for," Kovacich said, "until really close to and I accidentally came across that."

Kovacich indicated she received a phone call from someone affiliated with the event at noon on Sunday, April 7, inquiring when the Parks Department would be opening the restrooms for the eclipse event.

"I explained to her," Kovacich told the board, "that she did not go through me at all to schedule the event, so therefore we had not opened the restrooms, which we don't open at North Park until late June."

Kovacich advised the caller to contact Visit Greensburg or the City of Greensburg to see if either organization had an extra portable toilet that could be moved to North Park.

The Decatur County Pride affiliated individual indicated to Kovacich that they had registered the event with Visit Greensburg but not with the City of Greensburg. Ultimately, a portable restroom was located and delivered to North Park for the event.

According to Kovacich, the takeaway from this situation is that it's "crucial that anyone that wants to use park facilities be referred to our office, so we have one main calendar," detailing who, what, when, and where an event is, "because I couldn't get water turned on or anything on a Sunday at noon to help her."

Kovacich noted that while, "people get together all the time" in parks and don't need to let the Parks Department know, if they're organizing an event that requires restrooms and other facilities, it's important for the department to be aware and prepared.

Kovacich wants to add an area to the Parks Department website to register public events; a board member suggested placing signs in the parks with information on how to reserve facilities for an event.