On Oct. 20, the Indiana DNR, Next Level Trails (NLT) and the City of Greenfield celebrated the opening of the Franklin Street and Brandywine Connector trails with a joint ribbon cutting.  The Franklin Street Trail is a 1.4-mile asphalt multi-use trail constructed by the city with the help of a $699,200 NLT grant.

“Trails are one of the most desirable amenities for residents,” said DNR Director Dan Bortner. “The DNR is glad to see cities like Greenfield take advantage of our grant programs like the popular Next Level Trails to make important connections within their community and improve the quality of life.”

The Franklin Street Trail project extends and closes gaps in the Greenfield Greenway system on the city’s northwest side along Franklin Street and New Road. The trail connects Beckenholdt Park, Hancock Regional Wellness Center, Mary Moore Park, Hancock County Public Library and Greenfield Central Junior High and High School, as well as several residential neighborhoods and major employers. The connections provide safer mobility for city residents, including some of its youngest.

“The Franklin Street Trail extension project is a critical connector project,” said Greenfield Parks Director Ellen Kuker. “Without the Next Level Trails grant program, this major connector trail would not have been possible.”

The NLT is the largest infusion of trails funding in state history. The $150 million program is administered by the DNR and facilitates critical trail connections within and between Hoosier communities. Including the Franklin Street Trail, 13 of the 73 NLT projects are complete, totaling more than 40 miles of trail.

The new 1.1-mile Brandywine Connector Trail runs along scenic Brandywine Creek on the city’s southeast side, connecting Brandywine Park to the Pennsy Greenway. The project was partially funded by a $200,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant awarded in 2019.

The LWCF is a federal National Parks Service program administered at the state level by the Indiana DNR Division of State Parks. The program provides 50 percent reimbursement grants to assist park and recreation boards in acquiring and developing outdoor recreation areas for public use. To date, more than $50 million has been provided to local agencies through the program. More information about LWCF is at dnr.IN.gov/state-parks/recreation/grants/land-and-water-conservation-fund.

Spring Mill Inn closes for major renovations

Spring Mill Inn at Spring Mill State Park will close for major renovation beginning Nov. 13. Reopening is expected in the first quarter of 2024. The 73-room inn is structurally sound but needs significant work requiring extended closure of the entire facility, including the Millstone Dining Room, conference facilities and overnight lodging.

Funding for the project is provided through an infusion of dollars to address deferred maintenance needs in Indiana State Parks and other DNR properties. The base budget for the project is $10 million.

The primary goal of the project is modernization of all mechanical systems while retaining the historic, natural look and feel of the public spaces and guest rooms. The work includes replacement of water lines, fire alarms, sprinklers and HVAC systems. The project also includes installing new windows and doors, making accessibility upgrades, as well as making additional guest room furnishing and bathroom upgrades, and replacing the existing swimming pool with a splash pad.

“Complete closure of one of our most iconic Indiana State Park inns for more than a year is a difficult decision,” said DNR Director Dan Bortner. “However, the modernization of the inn’s ‘behind the scenes’ safety and comfort systems is best accomplished with this approach.

“When guests can return, they will appreciate the improvements from the moment they check-in at the new centrally located welcome desk to their renovated rooms.”

All inn associates will remain employed during the renovation, working in other areas of the park or at other inn locations. The inn will maintain an office with telephone and electronic communications inside the park to answer questions, make day-to-day contacts, and conduct future sales meetings. Its location will be announced once established.

Walleye stocking in northern Indiana

Nearly 70,000 fingerling walleyes are planned to be stocked by DNR during the next few weeks in 14 northern Indiana lakes. The fingerlings being stocked average 4 to 7 inches long. Adult walleye typically reach 14 inches in length after two years of growth and 16 inches by their third year.

The fingerlings were purchased from Gollon Bait and Fish Farm and grown at Fawn River State Fish Hatchery.

Lakes and (county) to be stocked include: Adams (LaGrange), Pretty Lake (LaGrange), Big Turkey (Steuben), Simonton (Elkhart), Crooked Lake (Steuben), Sylvan Lake (Noble), Clear Lake (Steuben), Shriner Lake (Whitley), Dewart (Kosciusko), Winona Lake (Kosciusko), Maxinkuckee (Marshall), Wall Lake (LaGrange), Pine/Stone Lakes (LaPorte) and Wolf Lake (Lake).

Many of the locations are stocked with fingerlings every fall to sustain the walleye population because the species’ natural reproduction is limited in these waters. A few locations are stocked on alternate years to improve walleye fishing at a broader geographic range. In addition to the fall walleye stockings, walleye fry (1 inch) and fingerlings (1.5 to 2 inches) were stocked this spring at an additional 15 lakes.

To evaluate the spring and fall walleye stockings, biologists conduct nighttime walleye surveys during October. The surveys evaluate stocking success and growth from previous stockings.

In addition to these lakes, multiple other lakes are stocked with walleyes by privately funded lake associations. A stocking permit from DNR is required to stock fish.

Man charged in ORV accident

A Martinsville man faces criminal charges regarding an Aug. 6 off-road vehicle (ORV) accident which left a passenger seriously injured. Responders were dispatched to the area of the 6500 block of Beech Grove Road in Morgan County that evening to investigate a serious ORV accident with injuries.

Indiana Conservation Officers’ investigation showed 53-year-old Bobby Walker, of Martinsville, was operating an ORV in a wooded area when he struck a tree. The collision caused his passenger to be ejected, resulting in serious injuries. It was determined Walker was operating the ORV while under the influence of alcohol. As a result, Walker has been formally charged by the Morgan County Prosecutor Office with two misdemeanors, Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) and OWI with endangerment, and one felony of OWI causing serious bodily injury.

Readers can contact the author by writing to this publication, or e-mail to jackspaulding@hughes.net.

Spaulding’s books, “The Best of Spaulding Outdoors,” and his latest, “The Coon Hunter And The Kid,” are available from Amazon.com.