by Sarah LakenZionsville one step closer to nature preserve, bond approval
BY NATALIE GARGIULO ON
Article by the CURRENT
On Feb. 8, the Zionsville Parks and Recreation Dept. was given the first of two required approvals from the parks board for a $5.5 million bond for the Carpenter Nature Preserve.
The issue will now go before the Zionsville Town Council in March for final approval. The preliminary plan is for the Carpenter Nature Preserve to open in late 2025 or early 2026.
“We are bonding this project in order to have the money up front to purchase the land. After acquisition, that’s when the reimbursements come,” said Jarod Logsdon, superintendent of the Zionsville Parks and Recreation Dept.
Acquisition of the nature preserve was beyond the parks department’s available funding reserves. The park board announced in January its intent to request a bond from the town and the parks board for $5.5 million to buy and develop the Carpenter Nature Preserve. Of the $5.5 million bond, $4.5 million would fund the acquisition, and the remaining funds would be used for Phase 1 of development.