PIERCETON, Indiana — A nine-hole disc golf course at the Pierceton-Washington Township Community Park came from the design, fundraising and installation work of Keaton Cornell, a recent Whitko High School graduate. Town and park leaders celebrated the larger set of completed improvements with a ribbon-cutting on Sunday, Sept. 27. The course adds another way for people to spend time outside alongside refreshed courts and other park amenities.
The ceremony was originally scheduled for Sept. 20. A Town of Pierceton news release said it was postponed because of weather and moved to the following Sunday. The notice explained that the celebration would recognize recently completed work, including basketball, tennis and pickleball courts, a new flag and flagpole, and maintenance improvements around the park. At the Sept. 27 ceremony, InkFreeNews reporter Abby Oliver observed Park Board Chairwoman Carla Quintero cut the ribbon.
Visitors can now use two new pickleball courts, a refreshed tennis court, an upgraded basketball court and the new disc golf course. The park also includes the Barbara Faris Loop Trailway and a playground, according to Oliver’s report. The updates mix sports surfaces with places for walking and play, adding options for residents of different ages and interests. The reporter’s account described the courts as among the largest park improvements in its history.
Oliver reported that Cornell designed the nine-hole course, raised funds and carried out the final installation. The local newspaper identified him as a recent Whitko High School graduate, but did not describe how long the project took or how much he raised. His work gave the town’s broader park refresh a specific, hands-on project led by someone who had recently finished high school.
Funding for the larger improvements came from a mix of foundations, a private donor and town support, according to Oliver’s event report. It listed $200,000 from the K21 Foundation, $10,000 from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation, a $5,000 private donation from Thomas Kubacki, and $5,000 from the Town of Pierceton. Town Council President Glenn Hall told the reporter that plans for the additions had begun a few years earlier and that Kubacki’s gift helped get the work started.
The project also involved volunteer labor. Quintero told Oliver that more than 20 volunteers took part in a park workday, including at least half of the Pierceton Fire Department. They spread mulch, planted flowers and removed trash. Horizon Landscaping donated flowers for the entrance and public areas, and the Pierceton Chamber of Commerce was recognized for attending and helping serve the community. The report said the Pierceton Street Department was available and willing to help.
Other practical contributions were recognized at the ceremony. 440 Dirt Co. and Infrastructure Development Solutions LLC handled installation of a new flagpole, facilitated by Taylor See. Pierceton police officer Dustin Baker picked up and installed a new Park Rules sign. Those additions sit alongside the courts and course, helping make the renovated park easier to use as well as more active.
People already use the park for more than organized sports. Chamber of Commerce member Kelsea DeGaetano told Oliver that it offers residents another place to gather, play and spend time with family. Chamber treasurer Georgia Tenney said Pierceton Elementary School students bring picnic lunches or snacks to the park on spring afternoons before playing. Quintero said she had also met families from other counties who brought their children to the park; regular pickleball players jokingly called it their “hidden secret.”
Some ideas for the next stage remain hopes rather than scheduled events. Hall said Harvest Community Church had held worship in the park in the past and that he would like to see pickleball and tennis tournaments and band concerts there. Quintero said the parks board plans to repaint playground equipment so it will be brighter and more colorful for children. Oliver’s report did not provide dates for tournaments or concerts. For now, the park’s refreshed courts, trail, playground and new course give residents a wider range of ways to spend time outdoors.
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