Generations of fun at the parks The Rudd family (l-r), Steve, Blaine, and Sheila of Galveston fished at Carroll County's Deer Creek Park pond May 30. Sheila Rudd said it is family tradition to fish at the pond each weekend with her son and grandson. "We don't miss many weekends," Steve Rudd said. "It's good family fun to come out here." Comet photo by Jenna Buehler Commissioners adopted new rules and camping prices for Carroll County French Post Park June 1. Carroll County Parks Board president Bob Burton said camping was not allowed at the park for approximately fifteen years. Changes were proposed to govern the use of camping space and bring a historic treasure back to the county.

The county owns two parks, French Post and Deer Creek. French Post Park is located on the south side of the Wabash River, between Delphi and Logansport at CR275W in Burrows. It is the only public access site for boating and includes a fishing area with a shelter on the Wabash River, picnic tables, playground equipment, water, portable toilet, and a concrete, handicap-accessible DNR boat ramp.

Burton said camping access to the park was closed more than a decade ago, after trailers and buses set up to camp year-around and frequent vandalism brought damage to the quality of the park. Burton said rules were created to help ensure the quality of the parks.

Only tent camping will be allowed at the park. The cost is $10 per campsite (three tents maximum), $40 per week per campsite and an adult 21 years or older must be present.

Camping is by reservation only. Customers will receive park rules and a receipt. Campers are responsible for their pets. No alcohol is permitted. Patrons must stay on park grounds and are responsible for their visitors. All trash is to be removed by campers. No guns are to be discharged in the park.

"These parks were popular generations ago in the 30s and 40s," Burton said. "But people have forgotten where these parks are—this is why awareness is so important to us."

The parks board commitment to the parks was made apparent last year when, in the midst of county financial turmoil, a lack of park funding led the board to unanimously vote to donate board $300 paycheck for utilities and trash removal.

Since February of last year, the parks board has worked in conglomeration with the Friends of the Carroll County Parks to further maintain and develop parks beyond the $5,000 county budget constraint.

The Friends group was organized last year to provide volunteer support to the parks. Their goal is to provide physical labor, fundraising, and publicity in an effort to preserve, maintain, and enhance county parks.

"We more than doubled our revenue to function last year," Burton said about the Friends. "The top project is to develop park usage that will generate more revenue that the county can use directly."

This year the Friends planted 200 trees on the south side of Deer Creek Park. Numerous plumbing and electrical upgrades were made at the park.

Additional Friends work included: painting playground equipment and developing primitive campsites at French Post Park. Five new picnic tables were made available to the parks by the Delphi Lions Club and Friends volunteer, Bill Maxwell.

Friends president Al Auffart commented on the high level of volunteerism in the county.

"It always comes as a pleasant surprise to me," Auffart said. "Out here you can ask somebody for help and nine times out of ten you're going to get it. We've had everything, from legal advice to hardware, given to us."

David McCain, member of the parks board and Friends group, emphasized the immense tourism potential offered by French Post and Deer Creek parks.

"The larger picture here is that a number of groups can work to create revenue within county tourism," McCain said. "We're talking about more than the canal, we're talking about bringing everything together."

"People drive by and don't see what is being done out here," McCain concluded. "We want to draw awareness. We want to draw people back to the parks and book them for a reservation."

The parks board is looking for a camp host to monitor park usage. Call Burton at (574) 686-2958 for more information. For camp reservations call Burton, McCain at (765) 564-2258, or parks board member Billie Hedde at (574) 967-4552.