The heavy equipment working adjacent to the Dr. Susan Bardwell Aquatic Center is a welcome sight for many of the swimmers, parents, and swim teams that have held competition swim meets at the pool on a regular basis. Many times progress takes time, as is the case that began over seven years ago when a group of “swim moms” began a journey that led to the center we see today!
Construction on the remaining parking lot was delayed due to timing of future projects expected to occur in the spring of 2020 when the center was first constructed back in 2019. The future parking area, now under construction, is located next to a smaller lot that was developed to accommodate handicap spaces and about 11 parking spaces as required by the Plymouth Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA).
Marshall County Economic Development Corporation believed it was in the best interest of the center to forgo potential damage that could arise from the construction activity due to heavy equipment from other slated projects that were planned in 2020. Construction was also delayed taking advantage in pricing between spring construction versus fall construction. Construction costs tend to increase as schedules fill in and late season opportunities become more costly as the weather changes.
Crews from Walsh & Kelly are busy moving dirt and preparing the area, which is now being paved, and the lot is expected to be complete by the end of August. Majority Builders are on site installing the lighting for the area.
MCEDC would like to give credit to the Plymouth BZA for their willingness and foresight to accommodate this timing. The BZA had provided an additional year for the parking lot to be constructed allowing MCEDC to juggle and plan additional projects in the area.
More than providing additional parking for the center, a newly soon to be constructed “Community Billboard” will promote swim events, provide notices on community events throughout the city of Plymouth and will also communicate events in neighboring communities throughout Marshall County. Such collaboration is unprecedented.
“The timing of these projects at the aquatic center, the parking lot and the sign installation, has been purposely delayed to 2020 to accommodate the engineering and financial benefits,” said Jerry Chavez, President/CEO of Marshall County Economic Development Corporation. “The community has become aware of the benefits of having this type of messaging board available during times of emergency such as this pandemic. We would like to thank Chad Towner, Chief Executive Officer of Saint Joseph Health System, for helping to make this possible.”
This Community Billboard is sponsored by Saint Joseph Regional Health System and is designed to be one of seven other message boards installed throughout the county. This original message board will be visible from US 30 and connected to an additional board on US 31 slated for the future.
These boards will also be linked to message boards located in the communities of Argos, Bourbon, Bremen, Culver, and Plymouth at the Rees Cinema. These boards received funding through a grant from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA).
These messaging boards will be able to communicate emergency information along with community information such as festivals, cultural events, and other special notices. County-wide emergency information will be displayed on all the boards and each community will be able to share information individually.
Projects such as the aquatic center and the community billboards are two examples of quality of life improvements that highlight the success Marshall County has enjoyed and continues to build upon.
