The big news is that the purchase of MacLynn Campground is pretty much a done deal. If you’ve been to Metamora anytime in the last four or five years you’ve seen the big For Sale sign on the side of the buildings across US 52 from Metamora itself.
On November 14, 2008 Indiana DOT announced they awarded Franklin County $689,600 in Local Public Agency (LPA) funding. The money will be used to purchase the campground which includes 33 acres of land, including campsites and restrooms, a building which housed MacLynn’s auto museum and a restaurant which was used with the cooperation of the owners as a site for various activities to raise funds for this purchase.
The property will be used for the development of a visitor’s center, museum and interpretative center at the Whitewater Valley Regional Interpretative Park.
Two days before this announcement, on November 10, Franklin County Commissioners heard of the award and nominated Don VonderMeulen as the contact person for the grant.
But before they did they asked questions about matching funds and the county’s obligation. They were assured by their attorney the county would have no obligation for funding it. VonderMeulen reported that Franklin County National Bank (FCN) has made a commitment for $831,600. Other donors he mentioned included Steve & Shirley Beyer ($30,000) and Harold & Lyn McNeeley ($32,000).
The county will keep the budget item listed in the name of the Whitewater Canal Byway Association, a group comprised of area representatives from counties along the canal. As a regional park its managing board has interests beyond those of Franklin County alone. The park will then be promoted in these outlying counties and is expected to be a destination for area field trips as well as a boon to commerce in Metamora itself.
Yogi Gus Parnett