HomeMy WebLinkAboutFebruary 16, 2026 Park Board MinutesSouth Bend Board of Park Commissioners
Regular Meeting
February 16, 2026
The Board of Park Commissioners of the City of South Bend, Indiana met on Monday February 16, 2026, at Howard Park Ribbon Town Room, 219 S. Saint Louis Blvd, and virtually on Microsoft
Teams for its regular meeting. Notice of the date, time and place of the meeting were duly given as required by law. The public was provided with a link to join the virtual meeting.
Park Board members present were as follows:
Mr. Mark Neal, President
Ms. Consuella Hopkins, Vice President
Mr. Sam Centellas
VPA staff members present: Jordan Gathers, Executive Director; Anastasia Smith-Davis, Executive Assistant; Amy Roush, Director of Experiences and Events; Macey Hanna, Director of Recreation;
John Martinez (virtual), Chief of Park Operations; and Demetrius Kennedy, Volunteer Coordinator.
Other city representatives present: Michael Schmidt, Assistant City Attorney; Ophelia Gooden-Rodgers, Common Councilwoman.
Call to Order
Mark Neal called the meeting to order at 5:05 pm.
Mark asks for a motion move to the new business item after the Consent Agenda.
Motion to move the new business section after the consent agenda by Consuella Hopkins, supported by Sam Centellas, motion carried. Roll call vote 3-0.
Minutes of the Regular Board Meeting held on January 12, 2026, meeting.
Motion to approve the meeting minutes of January 12, 2026, by Sam Centellas, supported by Consuella Hopkins, motion carried. Roll call vote 3-0.
Consent Agenda
Motion to approve the consent agenda of February 16, 2026, by Consuella Hopkins, supported by Sam Centellas, motion carried. Roll call vote 3-0.
New Business- MLK Dream Center Mural
Amy Roush, Director of Experience and Events along with Scott and Jenna Brewer, presented the concept and cultural significance of the proposed mural for the MLK Dream Center.
Jenna described the mural’s design in detail, which features woodland flowers and a medicine wheel, symbolizing indigenous connections to the land, seasons, and the values of the Pokagon
people. Jenna walks the Commissioners through the meaning of each medicine wheel, North, West, South, and East. Each wheel represents direction, a season, and set of teachings, with
the design intended to foster community and education. Each color in the medicine wheel represents a direction, season, and set of teachings, with the design intended to foster community
connection and education.
Scott and Jena Brewer explained the tribe’s motivation for supporting the mural, emphasizing their commitment to investing in the community, supporting youth education and health, and
reflecting tribal values through artwork.
Marl Neal inquired about the staff’s involvement in the mural’s design process.
Scott confirmed that the staff and tribal citizens have provided feedback, leading to minor design tweaks to ensure cultural accuracy and community alignment.
Consuella Hopkins raised questions about whether the medicine wheel design was specifically designed for this project or if it would be replicated elsewhere.
The Brewers clarified that the design is a staple of the tribe’s symbolism and is purposefully included to reflect shared values and identity.
President, Mark Neal noted how the Pokagon Tribe and Four Winds Casino have been significant donors in Howard Park and now the MLK Dream Center and thanks them for their involvement.
Amy Roush stated the project is still in the design phase, with final approval and installation timelines dependent on artist availability and coordination with upcoming educational
programs at the Dream Center.
Vice President, Consuella Hopkins gave her appreciation to the Pokagon Tribe for their relationship building in the MLK Dream Center as she had not seen connection in this particular
community before now and looks forward to seeing more to come.
Interviewing of Interested Residents
Deb Marr of 901 Eastwood Side St., wanted to share her input on the Rum Village Master Plan. Deb shared her appreciation for the focus on the increased access efforts, ADA accessibility,
updating the playground with more natural materials, and making the roads safer for pedestrians. Deb continued by sharing her concerns that doubling the number of trails would harm
the high-quality forest ecosystem, compact soil, fragment understory vegetation, and negatively impact rare plant species and wildlife. Deb urged the board to consider alterative solutions
for the mountain bike trail.
Jennifer Betts of 730 Cottage Road, Avenue, chair of the South Bend Bird Alliance. On behalf of the SB Bird Alliance, Jennifer requests more time for input from ecological advocacy groups
like Wild Ones, EAC and other local conservation organizations before the plan is finalized, mentioning a need for robust discussion and inclusion of conservation perspectives. She
shared there are a lot fears within the ecological community.
Bruce Cates of 251 North Crescent Avenue highlighted the problematic use of the term ‘zones of interest’ in the display images during the January 29th community engagement meeting. Bruce
noted the historical association with Auschwitz and recommended the terminology be changed to avoid negative connotations and ensure inclusivity.
Andy Schnabel, former Chair of the EAC confirmed he was speaking as a concerned citizen. Andy posed a scenario of adding a mountain bike trail to Elbel golf course and what kind of chaos
it would be to the course. He connected this scenario to what he feels is happening currently within the Rum Village Master Plan. He continued by emphasizing that Rum Village is the
only city park offering a mature forest experience and that if it changes, it would irreversibly damage its unique character.
Outstanding Partner of the Month- St. Joseph County Library
Executive Director, Jordan Gathers recognized the Saint Joseph County Library as the Outstanding Partner of the Month, highlighting their continued support and collaboration with Venues
Parks and Arts. The library’s involvement includes STEM labs, story time readings in the park, Spark in the Park, Senior Week, as well as their support for events like the Winter market
and homeschool/ preschool sessions at Pinhook Park.
The library was presented with a plaque in recognition of their partnership, and the library representatives expressed gratitude for the collaboration and its impact on the community.
Report by Director of Recreation Macey Hanna
Macey Hanna, Director of Recreation provided a reported a record participation in the Byer Softball League, tennis camps, volleyball, youth basketball, and cheer programs, highlighting
the importance of volunteer coaches and the success of new initiatives at MLK Dream Center.
She continued with significant maintenance was completed on multiple athletic fields, with additional repairs planned for the coming year. Pickleball courts were resurfaced, and construction
at the Byer Softball complex and Leeper Park tennis courts is ongoing, with weather impacting project timelines.
Despite weather-related challenges, ice skating attendance remained strong, with increased ticket sales and private rentals. The introduction of the igloo rentals at Howard Park contributed
to higher rental revenue and enhanced visitor experiences.
Macey spoke on the department introducing fee-based programming at Howard Park, expanding partnerships with organizations like the Library and the Boys and Girls Club, while continuing
to offer free and paid classes, STEM labs, and teen focused programs.
Lastly, she noted updates on the East Race Waterway and Kennedy Park renovations, outlining construction timelines and funding sources. Macey described the process of the Rum Village
Master Plan, including community engagement sessions and ongoing stakeholder input.
Business by Chief Executive Director Jordan Gathers
Jordan expresses gratitude to the leadership of Mayor Mueller, the Common Council, Park Board Commissioners, and VPA teams for their support and briefly highlights their growth and success
in programs and events. He continued to give the following updates:
Recognizing Black History Month and the celebrations across the City of South Bend. Highlighting the Black History Month market and skating event that happened the night before in Howard
Park.
Celebrating another successful year of hosting the annual Daddy Daughter Dance. This year the dance took place in the newly opened Raclin Murphy Encore Center.
Excitement for the upcoming annual Mom Son Dance, which also takes place in the Raclin Murphy Encore Center.
Operational improvement updates included the department focusing on maintaining clean, sage, and welcoming spaces, with visible ambassadors and custodial staff contributing to improved
visitor experiences across park facilities.
Progress on Kennedy Park renovations, the Rum Village Master Plan, and the Morris 100 campaign with continued opportunities for community feedback and commitment to inclusivity and long-term
asset building.
Appreciation is given to the community for their continued support and engagement with projects like Rum Village Master Plan.
Director Gathers emphasized the importance of community input, referencing past engagement sessions and the use of visuals aids to inform and gather feedback for park designs.
This concluded the updates by Executive Director, Jordan Gathers.
XI. Adjournment
The next scheduled meeting will be held Monday, March 16, at 5:00 p.m. at Howard Park Event Center.
Respectfully Submitted,
Anastasia Smith-Davis