By Joseph Slacian
WABASH, Ind. – Paradise Spring Historical Park could have a new sign installed, thanks to the Paradise Spring Board.
Board Secretary Deanna Unger appeared before the Wabash Park Board on Wednesday night, July 12, explaining to them what the Paradise Spring Board would like to see.
The site, located southeast of the intersection of Allen and Market streets, was once the site of the Big Four Railroad yard and, outside of a portion of the old roundhouse building, little is there to remind the public of that.
The board, with the help of Kyle Coble, a former Wabash County resident who now lives in Fort Wayne, would like to create a sign to show the importance of the railroad in the history of Wabash.
The sign would be bout 8-feet-long and 4-feet-high and will match other signage in the park, Unger told the board.
She and Park Superintendent Adam Hall have tentatively picked a site for the sign, to be located near the parking lot, should the Wabash Park Board approve the plan.
In addition, QR bar codes will be placed on the various signs around the park, about 17 in all, to better explain the history of the park.
Because the park board lacked a quorum on Wednesday, it was unable to give Unger approval for the plan. Hall plans to check with board members via email to receive a consensus, allowing the Paradise Spring Board to move forward with its plans.
The Park Board will vote on the matter when it meets in August.
In the meantime, if the Paradise Spring Board receives a consensus, it will move ahead with plans for a celebration on Sept. 1 at the park, marking pioneer days and the railroad’s history.
Hall reminded the board members present that the city will not pay for the new sign, nor will it be responsible for its upkeep.
Unger told the board that in 2013 the Paradise Spring Board received a sizeable educational endowment from the Melba Johnson Custer Trust. Those funds, she said, must be used for educational programming at Paradise Spring, and would be used to pay for the sign and its upkeep.