Syracuse Park Department approved purchasing a 6.5 acre parcel from the Syracuse Rotary Club during its regular monthly meeting Tuesday night. The new park, located in Wawasee Heights, will be the first Syracuse park to be located south of the railroad tracks.

The park foundation board has been discussing purchasing the property for about a year. Chad Jonsson, park superintendent and executive director of the park foundation, explained Max Laudeman representing the Laudeman family has offered to donate $65,000 to be used to purchase the property. The Rotary property will then be named after the Laudeman family.

Board member Dan Buchman asked if there is any downside to the purchase stating he saw it as a win, win for both parties. Board member Dick Pelletier asked what happened to the purchase price of $35,000. Jonsson explained at the time, Syracuse Rotary agreed to sell the property at a lower price if it could retain naming rights to the property.

Board member Mike Buhrt noted the donation from the Laudeman family is just a small part of what the Laudeman family has given to the town.

Buhrt moved to accept the proposal to purchase the property as long as it was forwarded to Dr. Tom Edington, Amy Rensberger and Donn Baird, all foundation board members who were absent, and get their insight.

Jonsson noted Edington has already approved purchasing the property. The details of the property transfer still need to be worked out.

Buhrt provided an update on the trail project. The new director started Aug. 1. While she is still living in Cincinnati, she has made several trips to Syracuse and has hit the ground running including taking a lead in finishing the Syracuse Lake project. The goal is to have Syracuse Lake completed by October.

The trail committee has spoken with town officials about extending sidewalk along Harkless Drive to SR 13. Discussions are also taking place with the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation and the DNR about installing a boardwalk on the wetlands.

“It’s fun to drive around and see the progress,” Buchman said about the trail project.

Jonsson reported football games will be played at the athletic complex through Oct. 11. The trail around the complex has been completed, the town has cleaned out the west ditch and the lights are working well.

The contractor for the fitness room expansion at the community center has run into a problem so demolition work hasn’t started yet. The new equipment is still expected to arrive Sept. 15, but the actual expansion work will probably be finished later in September.