Prepared by:

Wolff Clements and Associates, Ltd.

in association with:

Applied Ecological Services, Inc.UrbanWorks, Ltd.McElroy Associates, Inc.Ambriz Graphic Design

February 2005

MASTER PLAN

The Gary Green Link planning initiative is made possible by a grant from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Lake MichiganCoastal Program, Great Lake Coastal Restoration Grants Program.

M A S T E R P L A N

G A R Y G R E E N L I N KF O R E W O R D

It is our pleasure to present the Gary Green Link Master Plan to theMayor, the City Council, the Department of Environmental Affairs, and theresidents of the City of Gary.

The intent of the plan is to guide planning, design, implementation, andmanagement of a natural resources greenway and recreation corridor, theGary Green Link, which will ring the City of Gary, connecting the GrandCalumet River, the Little Calumet River, and the Lake Michigan shoreline.

The Master Plan is more than a report; it is a tool to be utilized over time.The plan provides a wide degree of flexibility that will allow for changes incommunity goals and attitudes, land uses and land acquisition, and fundingsources without materially affecting the long-term goals and framework ofthe plan.

Through numerous meetings with the Department of EnvironmentalAffairs, the advisory group of stakeholders and the public, Wolff Clementsand Associates, Ltd. and the rest of the consultant team understand thevision for the long-term stewardship of the City’s natural resources and theconnections that the city would like to make to these resources.Furthermore, this document indicates Gary’s commitment to thedevelopment of a legacy of land stewardship for future generations.

We look forward to continuing to work with you in the future as this visionbecomes a reality.

Respectfully submitted,WOLFF CLEMENTS AND ASSOCIATES, LTD.

Ted Wolff, ASLAPrincipal

M A S T E R P L A N

G A R Y G R E E N L I N K A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S

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City of Gary, Indiana

Name PositionScott L. King MayorGeraldine B. Tousant Deputy MayorArlene Colvin Chief of Staff

Gary Common Council

Name PositionCharles Hughes PresidentRonier Scott Vice PresidentMarilyn D. Krusas First DistrictRobert White Second DistrictMary Brown Third DistrictCarolyn D. Rogers Fourth DistrictJerome Prince Fifth DistrictKyle W. Allen, Sr. At-LargeRoy Pratt At-Large

Department of Environmental Affairs

Name PositionDorreen Carey Director

Consultant Team

Name OrganizationTed Wolff Wolff Clements and Associates, Ltd.Joel Baldin Wolff Clements and Associates, Ltd.Ben Baker Wolff Clements and Associates, Ltd.Nilay Mistry Wolff Clements and Associates, Ltd.Mark O’Leary Applied Ecological Services, Inc.Angela Sturdevant Applied Ecological Services, Inc.Lisa Willis UrbanWorks, Ltd.Rosa Y. Ortiz UrbanWorks, Ltd.Joe McElroy McElroy AssociatesLeAnn Spencer LeAnn Spencer CommunicationsAnita Ambriz Ambriz Graphic Design

Gary Green Link Master Plan Stakeholders

Name OrganizationRodney Graves Calumet Citizens for Connecting Communities (C4)Robert Gyurko Chicago-Gary Regional Airport AuthorityPaul Karas Chicago-Gary Regional Airport AuthorityJerome Woodward Chicago-Gary Regional Airport AuthorityBob Strimbu City of Gary, Department of Environmental AffairsEdmond Hunter City of Gary General Services DepartmentEzra D. Alexander III City of Gary, Department of Parks

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Gary Green Link Master Plan Stakeholders (continued)

Name OrganizationKim Lyles, Superintendent City of Gary, Department of ParksKevin Lawler Delta InstituteDavid Wright Gary Planning DepartmentCharles G. Peller, Jr., PE Gary Sanitary DistrictJames Meyer Gary Sanitary District / Meyer & Wyatt, P.C.J. Lynn Meeks, Executive Director Gary Urban Enterprises AssociationMary Williams Glen Park Community Development CorporationStephen Johnson Grand Calumet Task ForcePat Moore, Administrator Hammond Parks and RecreationAlex da Silva IDEM/NWROBob Simmons IDEM/NWROJim Smith IDEM/NWROTom Post Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)Martin Jaffe Illinois Indiana Sea Grant College ProgramJesse Elam Illinois Indiana Sea Grant College ProgramDale Enquist Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, SuperintendentEric Ehn Indiana Dunes National LakeshoreBruce Rowe Indiana Dunes National LakeshoreDan Moore Indiana Industrial InvestmentsSam Wolfe INDOT Tollroad DistrictElaine Chandler, Superintendent Lake County ParksRobert Nickovich, Director Lake County ParksCraig Zandstra Lake County ParksDan Rieden Lake County ParksDon Ewoldt Lake Erie Land CompanyAndi Pierce Lake Michigan Coastal ProgramRichard Carey Lake Station, Indiana / Rhein-Bach, Inc.Andre Gaither National Park Service, U.S. Dept. of InteriorRory Robinson National Park Service, U.S. Dept. of InteriorDan Gardner NIRPC/Little Calumet River Development CommissionBrian Kortum NiSourceJennifer Gadzala Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC)Kelsee Waggoner Office of Congressman Peter ViscloskyCarl Fisher, Superintendent Portage ParksPhil Gralick R.W. Armstrong & AssociatesThomas R. Anderson Save the Dunes CouncilSandra L. Wilmore Save the Dunes CouncilMyrna Newgent Shirley Heinze Land TrustPaul Labus The Nature ConservancyElizabeth McCloskey U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceDave Behrens U.S. SteelTom Dilley USDA Forest ServiceDaniel Goldfarb Wildlife Habitat Council

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M A S T E R P L A N

G A R Y G R E E N L I N K T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

A. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................... 1

1 . PROJECT GOAL ............................................................................................................... 1

2 . PROJECT OBJECTIVES.................................................................................................... 1

3 . PROJECT APPROACH .................................................................................................... 2

B. BACKGROUND........................................................................................ 5

1 . REVIEW OF EXISTING INFORMATION AND STUDIES ..................................... 5

2 . HISTORICAL ECOLOGICAL CONDITIONS........................................................... 5

3 . ECOLOGICAL STRESSES AND CHANGES TO ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES ........................................................................ 6

4. RARE OR IMPORTANT SPECIES AND HABITAT .................................................. 6

5. OPEN SPACE MAPPING ................................................................................................ 8

C. LAND COVER ......................................................................................... 9

1 . VEGETATION COMMUNITIES .................................................................................... 9

2 . RESTORATION OF ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES .......................................... 25

3. SITE PRIORITIZATION AND RECOMMENDATIONSFOR RESTORATION, PROTECTION AND / OR ACQUISITION................... 35

4. MODEL ORDINANCES ................................................................................................ 41

D. RIVERS ..................................................................................................... 43

1 . RIVER STUDIES ............................................................................................................... 43

2 . RESTORATION BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR RIVERS .................. 51

E. MULTI - USE TRAILS ............................................................................ 59

1 . INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 59

2. METHODOLOGY .......................................................................................................... 59

3. TRAIL DESCRIPTIONS ................................................................................................. 61

4. IMPLEMENTATION ....................................................................................................... 74

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F. PUBLIC EDUCATION AND INTERPRETATION ............................. 85

1 . PUBLIC EDUCATION AND INTERPRETATION ................................................. 85

G. CONCLUSION ....................................................................................... 87

1 . OVERVIEW ...................................................................................................................... 87

2 . RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................................................ 87

APPENDIX A

1 . EXISTING INFORMATION REVIEWED

APPENDIX B

1 . NATURAL AREA AND OPEN SPACE INVENTORY

APPENDIX C

1 . VEGETATION COMMUNITY MAP

2 . LAND COVER INDEX MAP

3 . FIELD BASE MAPS

APPENDIX D

1 . AQUATIC RESOURCES INDEX MAP

2 . AQUATIC RESOURCE BASE MAPS

APPENDIX E

1 . MULTI - USE TRAIL OPPORTUNITIES MAP

2 . PRELIMINARY CONSTRUCTION BUDGET ESTIMATES

3 . PRELIMINARY OVERALL BUDGET ESTIMATES

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M A S T E R P L A N

G A R Y G R E E N L I N K T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

APPENDIX F

1 . PUBLIC EDUCATION AND INTERPRETATION MAP

APPENDIX G

1 . MANAGEMENT AND/OR RESTORATION POTENTIAL MAP

APPENDIX H

1 . PROTECTION OR ACQUISITION PRIORITIES

APPENDIX I

1 . POSTER

2 . GARY GREEN LINK LOGOS

APPENDIX J

1 . SUMMARY OF PUBLIC MEETINGS

APPENDIX K

1 . SURVEY

APPENDIX L

1 . REFERENCES

M A S T E R P L A N

G A R Y G R E E N L I N K T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

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