The door to a healthier lifestyle is opening in La Porte as projects by the La Porte Parks and Recreation department are being planned and completed across the area. Park Superintendent Mark Schreiber is glad to be bringing a fresh look to its residents.
“We’re very driven right now to put out amenities and infrastructure that will allow people to be out in our parks so they can lead a healthy lifestyle,” Schreiber said.
Three distinct projects have been underway in La Porte as more are in their phases of completion. With lakeshore construction, tennis expansion, and the revamp of the amphitheater in Fox Memorial Park, the Parks and Recreation Department has been thrilled to put the work in.
“We’re very fortunate to have quite a few projects going on right now,” he said.
Schreiber noted the improvements to the Stone Lake shoreline as a special project to him. Beginning in summer 2020, this particular site set the precedent for numerous projects.
“It’s one of the first projects we’ve done since we put together our Soldiers Memorial Park master plan,” he said.
A multi-use trail was added around the shoreline of Stone Lake, which was funded by the Healthcare Foundation of La Porte, to give residents a way to safely enjoy the water. According to Schreiber, the response has been nothing but positive; he loves watching residents use the trail for fitness as well as watching sunrises and sunsets.
“This project means a lot to me because I believe we really did a lot to give a section of the park back to the community,” he said.
Just between Stone Lake Beach and Cummings Lodge, a kayak launch was made available for residents to utilize if they needed an easier way of getting on the water.
“This is an accessible launch for those who have mobility issues or any other difficulties getting a kayak into the water to be able to do it successfully.”
This project was also funded by the Healthcare Foundation of La Porte, which Schreiber expressed a lot of gratitude for.
“We couldn’t be happier to be working with them to provide amenities to our residents to be healthier, with the goal to be one of the top 10 healthiest communities by the year 2030,” he said.
La Porte Parks and Recreation also dedicated a tennis court renovation project to Kesling Park’s Bill Reed Tennis Complex. Now, the location has five tennis courts and four pickleball courts for residents to play on. Pickleball has picked up speed in La Porte ever since.
“We’ve already had a great response to that...just a couple weeks ago, we had over forty participants show up for a beginners pickleball clinic,” Schreiber said.
Renovations were made to additional tennis courts in parks around La Porte, which has impacted the game of tennis in the county, especially within younger age groups.
“Our own youth tennis lesson program has seen a nice increase this summer as well,” he said.
At the Dennis F. Smith Amphitheatre in Fox Memorial Park, visitors can find a new concession stand, indoor bathroom facility, and dressing rooms. Even down to the stage, a fresh paint job and ambient lighting take the amphitheater to the next level.
This project would not have been possible without the help of La Porte’s Arts in the Park group, which took the initiative of fundraising for the renovations.
“It just looks like a million dollars out there,” Schreiber said. “It really feels like we have a brand-new amphitheater.”
As other plans are in the works in La Porte, like a golf course in Kesling Park and more trails near the lakes, Schreiber appreciates all the support from the community. The pandemic helped him realize the importance of La Porte’s parks and the residents they serve.
“One thing we have discovered is that our parks are really where people want to be, especially during COVID-19, our parks were really a safe harbor for those who wanted to get outside,” he said.
Schreiber hopes more residents want to get a breath of fresh air and get active as more projects come to fruition throughout the community.
“We’ve adopted the ‘Living the Lake Life’ mentality,” he said. “We really want our residents out, living their best possible lives. We want people to enjoy the natural resources we have to offer here in La Porte.”
To learn more about the City of La Porte as well as the Parks and Recreation department, visit https://www.cityoflaporte.com/departments/park-and-rec.
