Wabash County named a 2024 Stellar Pathways designated community

Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs announced Dearborn County and Wabash County as the 2024 Stellar Pathways designated communities.

The Stellar Pathways program is a multi-year, multi-million-dollar initiative led by OCRA. The program works with communities in a self-determined region on a shared vision for community and economic development. Stellar Pathways aims to promote local and regional partnerships and assists in implementing sustainable solutions to challenges Indiana’s rural communities face. 

The Stellar Pathways scoring committee worked with each of the four finalist regions over the course of six months and determined the designees on a variety of factors. These included each region's plan comprehensiveness, proposed projects’ impact, local and private leverage, alignment with eligible funding sources, investment need, capacity to administer the projects, long-term viability, financial capacity to administer the projects, and connection to community engagement and needs.  

The Stellar Pathways program provides resources for transformative quality of place improvements by applying previous planning efforts, leveraging existing assets, fostering regional investments and stimulating continued growth.  

OCRA’s Stellar Pathways partner agencies include the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, Indiana Department of Transportation, Indiana Department of Health, Indiana State Department of Agriculture, Indiana Destination Development Corporation and Indiana Department of Natural Resources. 

Wabash County Stellar Pathways Projects

Town of La Fontaine

Stormwater Improvements

• The Town of La Fontaine, with a population just under 900, is located in the southeast quadrant of the county. The town's stormwater infrastructure, dating back to the 1960s, has led to frequent ponding and significant flooding during rain events. A Preliminary Engineering Report conducted in July 2024 proposed four key improvements: increasing the storm sewer capacity of Basins #2 and #6, extending the Western Avenue storm sewer and adding a new storm sewer between E Grant Street and Meadow Drive. With support from the Stellar Pathways program, these upgrades will address the ongoing safety, health and financial burden of the aging infrastructure.

Park Improvements

• Cook-Crumley Park in La Fontaine, which features play equipment, a half-court basketball court and a baseball diamond, is set for improvements as part of the town's Five-Year Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Working with Commonwealth Engineering, the town has developed a phased concept design for the 4.5-acre park. Phase 1 includes site preparation, a new pavilion, parking lot and walking trails. As the only recreational facility in a town with fewer than 900 residents, these enhancements will improve park access for locals and establish it as a regional destination.

Town of North Manchester

Daniel’s Place Headquarters

• Daniel’s Place, a nonprofit providing respite care for individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities, operates inside Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in North Manchester. As one of only two providers of this type in Northern Indiana, Daniel’s Place offers short-term care to give caregivers a break. To better serve its mission and expand services, a new facility is planned on three parcels of land owned by Daniel’s Place. This project will involve demolishing an existing building and constructing a new 5,190-square-foot facility with a large fenced-in yard for outdoor activities and bedrooms for overnight stays, allowing Daniel’s Place to serve more clients effectively.

Manchester Mile Safety Enhancements

• The Manchester Mile is a transformative multi-use trail project that connects the Manchester University campus with Main Street in downtown North Manchester. This multi-use path will be installed along College Avenue and Market Street. The university has committed supplemental funding of $100,000 to the Mile to enhance the quality of life and place.

SR 114 Sidewalks

• SR 114 is a commercial corridor running east-west through the Town of North Manchester. Currently, the only pedestrian infrastructure along this corridor is within the downtown core. This project will fund the construction of expanded sidewalks along the north side of SR 114 between Meridian Street (SR 13) and West Street. The Town has received numerous requests for a sidewalk in this area to ensure pedestrian safety and access to businesses and restaurants on the west side. Currently, it is common to see people walking in the grass or along the edge of this busy highway.

Town of Roann

Roann Park

• The Town of Roann owns three parcels on the east side of town, totaling just over 7 acres. In 2023, the town collaborated with an engineer and design consultant to create conceptual designs and construction documents for a future park. This project will enhance the existing baseball field by adding basketball and pickleball courts, fitness stations, a new pavilion with restroom facilities, playgrounds, a splashpad and expanded parking lots. With a population of 400, and limited recreational amenities,the new park will serve both local residents and become a regional attraction, supporting downtown businesses and fostering community engagement.

Town of Lagro

Sidewalk Improvements

• This project involves replacing the sidewalk on Davis Street/SR 524 between Main Street and Washington Street. Davis Street, the main thoroughfare, connects popular local businesses, including two Airbnbs, Firehouse Café, and 950 Speakeasy. The improvements include removing the existing sidewalk, pouring new concrete and installing four new ADA ramps with detectable warnings at each crossing. These enhancements will improve connectivity and safety for residents and visitors, linking new investments in downtown Lagro and improving pedestrian access to the Lagro Grocery Store at the intersection of Davis Street and Washington Street.

Food Co-op

• The Lagro Canal Foundation is renovating the old cafe building at 870 Washington Street to develop a Food Co-op. The foundation is drafting bylaws to allow local growers, producers and consumers to become shareholders. The Lagro Food Co-op aims to be a community-owned grocery store and cafe, promoting economic growth, sustainability and prosperity in Wabash County. While exterior improvements like painting, windows and roofing are complete, significant interior construction remains. This development will offer goods, services and healthy food choices, and will provide programming on healthy eating, farm-to-table initiatives and community cooking classes. Project funding will help the Lagro Canal Foundation acquire equipment and supplies for these programs, including a monthly demonstration series to educate participants on preparing healthy meals with Co-op ingredients.

City of Wabash

Living Well Senior Center Renovations

• In 2010, the Wabash County Council on Aging formed a task force to define the vision and goals for the Living Well Senior Center. Since then, efforts have focused on improving the building's function and appearance and expanding programs. This project involves a complete renovation of the 8,200-square-foot building, including reconfiguring the space for additional administrative and classroom spaces, new restroom facilities, a larger kitchen with a separate dining room and more storage. The improvements aim to enhance the center's ability to serve the community effectively

Advantage Housing - Rental Rehab

• Advantage Housing, a non-profit focused on homeless prevention in North Central Indiana, is undertaking a rehabilitation project to restore a dilapidated building into low-income rental housing. The project will reduce the existing structure to a standalone property, creating a lit walkway to rear parking. Once complete, it will offer two 2-bedroom townhouse units and one 1-bedroom handicapped accessible apartment, all classified as "Ongoing HOME Rental Housing" with income and rent limits to address the shortage of quality, affordable housing in Wabash County.

Wabash County

Countywide Owner-Occupied Infill Program

• Wabash County is working with several partners to provide attainable housing for current and future residents. This program encourages collaboration between multiple agencies to increase affordable housing for low- and moderate-income households. The Wabash County Development Corporation (WCDC) will award single-family lots to qualified developers or non-profit organizations. In return, developers must build and sell homes to income-eligible buyers at no cost for the lot. This program is expected to fund four-to-six new single-family units, with specific lots identified after receiving the Stellar Pathways designation.

Wabash Riverwalk Trail Extension

• The Wabash Riverwalk Trail Extension project involves constructing an additional 6,500 feet of trail and an 800-foot bypass for a section that floods during heavy rains. Currently, the paved multi-use Wabash Riverwalk Trail extends more than seven miles from Lagro to Wabash. This extension will continue west to Peru, connecting with its riverwalk. Starting at River Street, the trail will follow the Wabash River and Charlie Creek, then turn north, cross Edsall Street and continue along Market Street. W Market Street will be closed to vehicular traffic and the trail will use the existing roadway to cross Charlie Creek and reach Lockerbie Street.

85 Hope

• 85 HOPE is a free medical clinic serving low-income, uninsured and under-insured adult residents. Operating two clinics in Wabash and North Manchester, 85 HOPE offers various free services, including medical exams, physical therapy, lab and radiology testing at Parkview Wabash Hospital, annual mammograms and health screenings. Currently, the Wabash clinic is open Thursdays from 5-8 p.m., and the Manchester clinic operates on the first and third Wednesdays of each month from 5-8 p.m. Due to limited hours, appointments are required. With growing demand, 85 HOPE plans to hire two additional part-time nurse practitioners using Stellar Pathways program resources to expand service capacity and clinic hours.