Indiana Dunes National Park chief of business and commercial services Skaidra Kempkowski, center, speaks with Chief Lumberjack at Sturgeons Tree Surgeons Kevin Kramer, on right, and employee Nick Cannan during an open house to discuss the Indiana Dunes National Park commercial services strategy at Portage's Lakefront and Riverwalk on Thursday, July 22, 2021. (Kyle Telechan for the Post-Tribune)
Brightly colored sticky notes with suggestions such as shuttle service, ADA accessibility, more walkability from the different beaches, guided bird watching and the addition of observation areas and overlooks hung on the walls Thursday at the Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk Pavilion.
The suggestions were posted by participants of one of two open houses hosted by the National Park Service to garner public input on a commercial service strategy currently being crafted for the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. The second open house was Friday at the West Beach Bath House in Gary.
“Who knows what’s possible,” Park Superintendent Paul Labovitz said.
The effort to develop a commercial services strategy is part of an NPS intern program that matches business interns with the park service. Labovitz said the Indiana Dunes has been applying for the intern for several years. This is the first year it was selected to receive the help.
“Frankly we need to improve our role in the region economy,” Labovitz said.
The national park already has an impact on the local economy and Labovitz said a commercial services strategy will help improve that impact. Gathering public input will help ensure the plan provides services visitors are seeking, he said.
“We want to do this thoughtfully,” Labovitz said.
Skaidra Kempkowski, chief of business and commercial services for the National Lakeshore, said the park was one of only nine national parks to receive the services of interns, who are in the MBA programs at their respective universities, this year.
She said the goal of the event is twofold. The park service wants to know what services the public wants in the park.
“And for businesses, it is what kind of services to you want to provide for us,” Kempkowski said.
Interns Ashleigh Seely and Dana White are creating the strategy for the National Lakeshore.
Seely said the work will evaluate what commercial services currently exist within the park and what services visitors want to see and lay out a plan for implementing the findings.
“We hope this strategy is used in park planning for decades to come,” Seely said.
Labovitz said once the plan is complete the park will go out for proposals to begin implementing the findings.
Steve and Laurie Snell, of Valparaiso, were among those posting comments. Improved accessibility to the beaches was among their concerns. The couple have a cottage in Beverly Shores and see firsthand some of the challenges families who want to visit the busy park have finding parking. They often let families use their on-street parking spot for the day because they empathize with their struggle.
They would like to see access created to the miles of beach between the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and the Indiana Dunes State Park. Much of the connecting beaches are accessible only by miles-long hikes. Laurie Snell suggested some type of shuttle service so people could reach more areas of the lakeshore.
“It’s just about access and how to create it without destroying the dunes,” Steve Snell said.
For Kevin Kramer, of New Buffalo, Michigan, the timing of the open house was a lucky break. Kramer called the park service Wednesday to see if outside vendors were used for services. Before he even finished his inquiry, the person he spoke to cut him off to tell him about the open house.
“It couldn’t have been better timing,” Kramer said.
Kramer said the event was a unique opportunity as a business owner to get in front of decision makers with his service. He operates a tree service and has begun offering firewood vending machines. People can use their credit cards to make a purchase 24 hours a day and a bundle of firewood drops out. The machines are on wheels and can be used at campgrounds, events or anywhere access to firewood is needed.
“This is an awesome opportunity. When you’re trying to become a vendor, you make that phone call but a lot of the time those doors don’t open,” Kramer said.
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