Photo: William Wamathai
Goose pond is the largest wetland conservation project of its kind in Indiana.
The fundraising to build a visitor’s center at Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area Visitor’s Center in Linton could receive a boost from a bill authored by Bloomfield State Rep. Matt Ubelhor. The bill would allocate $3.5 million for the project.
Ubelhor says construction of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources’ regional office at Goose Pond is funded but the site still needs money for the visitor’s center.
“I think the $3.5 million will be close,” he says. “I have spoken with the DNR on it, and we came up with this number and it is based on some projections .We don t have a final engineering number on it, but the DNR did know that they didn’t have the cost of it covered.”
Property manager Brad Feaster says the construction is divided into two phases. Phase one is scheduled to start later this year, but there are no concrete plans for phase two.
“The phase two money, I have really no idea where that will end up coming from,” Feaster says. “obviously it looks like if Representative Ubelhor bill goes through looks like the state may provide some of that money.”
The visitor’s center had a high-profile supporter in former Governor Mitch Daniels, who attended the site’s groundbreaking ceremony in September and touted the economic potential of the project.
