County commission hears park cost estimates

Members of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners will have to include a major budget allocation for the parks and recreation department in 2017.
Cost estimates for a sanitary sewer and water project for Cade Lake Park and Campground were revealed during Tuesday’s county commission meeting.
Daniel Byam, project engineer from Jones Petrie Rafinski, told commissioners the bids range from a high of more than $660,000 to a low of nearly $409,000. The low bid was submitted by C and E Excavating of Elkhart and was about $3,500 less than the only local bidder:  Morris Excavating of White Pigeon.
Byam said the bids would be taken under advisement and discussed by the Parks and Recreation Board before a recommendation is yielded to the county commission.
He said the goal is to have the infrastructure to the 43-site campground, located in Fawn River Township, in place for the 2017 season.
The sewer infrastructure for the park is possible thanks to an existing line, along the north side of U.S. 12, servicing the village of Burr Oak. The water and sewer infrastructure for the campground will tap into the Burr Oak line at a point just west of Sweet Lake Road.