COMMODORES UPDATE
TO: ALL WRBC MEMBERS
RE: 2ND UPDATE ON CLOSURE OF WHITING PARK AND WHIHALA BEACH
After speaking with Whiting Mayor Joe Stahura, he has informed me that there will be no vehicle traffic allowed into Whiting Park or Whihala Beach area for at least 2 to possibly 4 weeks. BUT all bike and walking trails will remain open for pedestrian use. Within 2-4 weeks, I was told that the vehicular traffic will be allowed back in the park, but again, only vehicles with current 2020 Park Stickers on them either City or Boat Club will be able to enter and launch at our facility again. I understand and so does the Mayor that this is a short-term inconvenience, but it will be resolved as he stated to me, he has to gain some sort of control for all the influx coming in to the park from our neighboring state of Illinois. The good news also is that the Mayor has confirmed that he realizes that we do have 24-7 access to the boat club building, launch and the park, but he will have to figure out how to manage this. There are 4 gates being presently installed for traffic control In and Out of the park. From what I was told, one gate will always be open. He will get back to me in a few weeks on exactly how we will manage our 24-7 access.
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RE: ALTERNATE FREE PARKING FOR WHITING-ROBERTSDALE BOAT CLUB (WRBC) MEMBERS & WALKING TO THE WRBC BUILDING
The Mayor has also informed me that as long as you have a 2020 Whiting-Robertsdale Park Sticker or a 2020 WRBC Park Sticker attached to your vehicle windshield, you will be able to PARK FOR FREE in the Whiting High School football stadium parking lot area and at the baseball field parking area which is located across the street from the Whiting High School football stadium parking lot located before the Whiting Park entrance by the railroad tracks. This being said, you are allowed to park in these areas during the parks closure, but you will have to walk across the railroad tracks, enter Whiting Park and walk to theWRBC building if you want to use our facility.
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RE: 2020 WHITING PARK STICKER OR 2020 WRBC PARK STICKER
I want to reiterate the importance of having a Whiting Park Sticker on your windshield. If you have not picked yours up yet from the City of Whiting, City Hall, please do so. You will have to show your current 2020 WRBC Membership Card in order to receive your 2020 WRBC Park Sticker from City Hall. Once you get your sticker, adhere it onto the driver's side, lower left edge part of the windshield. The park employees and security have been notified that there will be NO ACCEPTIONS to this rule from here on out. If you do not have a 2020 Park Sticker on your windshield YOU WILL BE TICKETED, NO QUESTIONS ASKED. This ticket will now cost you $200. The Boat Club will not reimburse you for any parking violations occurred. So please be sure you have your sticker adhered on your vehicle's windshield.
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RE: WRBC MONTHLY MEETING 7-28-2020
We are going to hold this month's Tuesday, July 28, 2020 meeting at 7:00 at our Boat Club building. But again, you will have to park outside the Park's entrance in the lots provided and walk into the building area in the Park.
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RE: NEW SKID PIER & CURRENT LAUNCH PIER
There will be a new skid pier put in within the next couple weeks to help the congestion that has been experienced, especially on weekends for launching. The current launch pier that is there will stay in permanently and the Mayor said he is going to attempt to raise the concrete gang plank that is currently under water to get it above water.
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RE: ACCESS TO HAMMOND MARINA BOAT LAUNCH DURING WHITING PARK CLOSURE
More good news, I spoke with Port Authority Director, Milan Kruszynski, at the Hammond Marina about our situation. As he has always done in the past, he will again work with the Boat Club, and we have permission to launch at the Hammond Marina FREE OF CHARGE till the end of the year if needed. This launching is for all 2020 WRBC Members in the State of Indiana and Illinois. I have given him a complete current 2020 WRBC Membership List, and you will have to show your current 2020 WRBC Membership Card to gain access. If you forget your card or for any other reason they don't want to allow you in, please do not argue with the employees at the booth entrance at the Marina. Give me a call and we will work this out.
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Thank you all for your patience, if there is any change or update, I will let you all know.
Please continue to access the Boat Clubs Website to keep updated on current matters, photos, etc.
Thank you for your cooperation in these matters.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me.
Mike Hill
WRBC Commodore