Wabash now has to determine in what order to tackle Stellar Communities projects

Well first, there’s a ride through the city atop a Wabash Fire Department truck. Then, there’s a trip to Disney World.

Actually, the Disney World trip is part of a family vacation that has been in the planning stages for some time. And although he will be out of town for a few days, that doesn’t mean the work on the Stellar Communities program will stop.

“When I get back we’re going to sit down and figure out what our next step is,” Mayor Robert Vanlandingham told the Plain Dealer moments after Thursday’s Stellar Communities award ceremony finished at the Indiana State Fairground’s Agriculture and Vocational Building. “There’s a conference call while I’m gone to Bill (Konyha, local Stellar Committee chair). I’m sure there’s going to be some timelines and things set up to tell us what our next procedures are.”

Included in the city’s Stellar plans are improvements to the Eagles Theatre, creating an all-inclusive playground at the John Drook Memorial Park, a downtown façade improvement program, creation of an amphitheater at Paradise Spring Historical Park, continuation of the Streetscape improvement program, continuation of the Wabash Riverwalk, Charley Creek and Cultural trails, improvements to the Ind. 13-Ind. 15 Corridor on the city’s southside, a program to help refurbish homes in a portion of the city, and creation of the Rock City Lofts in downtown Wabash.

Vanlandingham said in what order the projects will be tackled remains to be seen.

“We’ve done this thing as a group, and I feel we should discuss this as a group,” he said. “I have in my mind what I would like to be done, but I don’t think it would be right for me to sit down and say ‘This is how it’s going to be done.’ I haven’t done it yet. I haven’t done that in the 10 or 11 years I’ve been in office.”

The City of Huntingburg, the other 2014 Stellar Communities Designee, was the first community to be honored by Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann.