Delta Institute and our key partner Lake County (IN) Parks—along with numerous community groups and engaged residents—will restore 40 acres adjacent to high-traffic nature sites at the Hobart Nature District, benefitting stormwater management, native habitat, and creating a recreational area with new connections to existing trailheads.
This site was previously home to the St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church Hall, and our efforts will restore the site to publicly accessible natural beauty, while honoring the site’s legacy.
Why Our Work is Needed Today
Lake County, IN, has a vibrant and rich history, and has many locations that have been loved and treasured by residents and community groups alike for decades, if not centuries.
One such beloved site is the site of this restoration project, which from the 1970s-2000s was the home of the St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church Hall. The project site, originally a mix of oak/hickory savanna and wetlands, underwent transformations over the years. Settled in the mid to late 1800s by farming families, it served as a cattle pasture until the 70s. In the 1970s, a banquet center and parking lot was constructed for the St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church Hall. Community members have shared with Delta the importance of this site’s historical value, as the Church Hall served as the main church for the Northwest Indiana Serbian community when the main church was destroyed by fire in Gary in 1978.
St. Sava’s Church was rebuilt in Merrillville (where it stands today), with the 40-acre parcel continuing to serve as the Church Hall and picnic grounds until it was sold in 2009. After the property’s sale it fell quickly into disrepair and was eventually and tragically ruined and razed. The site has been abandoned since the Hall’s razing, with consistent illegal dumping. The site presently has the remnants of the Hall’s foundation and parking lot, with discarded couches, chairs, and bags of illegally dumped trash strewn about, and a mixture of invasive species and unmanaged native growth. Despite the unfortunate current condition, the community has been actively working to restore the site, demonstrating a strong commitment to environmental preservation and respect for the site’s legacy.
After years of community engagement and advocacy, the site was able to be purchased in 2021 by Lake County Parks and Recreation Board, who is focused on restoring the site while providing expanded recreation access. Stormwater from the site drains into two separate subwatersheds: northwest into the City of Merrillville – Turkey Creek (HUC-12 040400010505) and southeast into the Lake George-Deep River (HUC-12 040400010507) Subwatersheds; both are within the Deep River-Portage Burns Waterway watershed (HUC 0404000105) that eventually drains into Lake Michigan.
Brief Overview of What We’re Doing
Recognizing and appreciating this rich history and critical community need, Delta Institute and Lake County Parks will restore a 40-acre Lake County Parks and Recreation Board-owned parcel, with 5 acres of permanent wetland creation and 33 acres of wet prairie and mesic oak savanna (including some ephemeral wetlands) restoration. We will establish a recreational area to make this site accessible to the public.
Our project will increase climate resiliency via reducing stormwater flow into two subwatersheds via multi-million stormwater gallon management capacity, removing impervious surface, and promoting native species diversity.
Delta is already engaged with a broad spectrum of community stakeholders on the proposed scope; their feedback is incorporated into this proposal and project planning. Community-led activities will include restoration planning, planting, maintenance work, and public engagement. Wetland creation, habitat restoration, recreational opportunities, maintenance, and long-term stewardship plans will be created during the project.
This project dovetails with multiple Delta-led projects in Lake County, IN currently underway.
Our Impact
Key activities and outcomes from our collaborative restoration efforts includes:
Decreasing localized flooding and increasing stormwater management: The project’s ecological impact includes slowing stormwater, allowing percolation into the shallow aquifer, and restoring the site to improve stormwater management and native habitat while also creating a recreational area – a community priority. The project will capture 4,601,015.3 stormwater gallons annually.
Site restoration and debris removal: The project will restore 5 acres of permanent wetland; 30 acres of mesic oak savanna, including ephemeral wetlands; and 3 acres of wet prairie. These restoration efforts will include removal of invasive species, native planting, removal of 3 acres of impervious surface and clean illegal dumping pollution.
Invasive species management: Project planning will address invasive species (based on initial parcel analysis, 20% of the site is currently infested with invasive species), while providing a habitat for unique plant and animal species.
Public access and recreation: The project will also provide public access to recreation and greenspace, including 2 acres designated for recreational trails, boardwalks, a small parking lot, and wayfinding amenities. These efforts are planned after restoration has been accomplished by 2027.
We are proud and pleased of these metrics indicating improved environmental outcomes that will impact both the Lake George-Deep River and the Deep River – Portage Burns Watersheds that collectively drains into Lake Michigan.
Partners
This project has received funding in 2024 from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Sustain Our Great Lakes program. Delta Institute and Lake County Parks have secured substantial community involvement, including significant support from the:
- Hobart Sanitary & Stormwater District Board
- Hobart Parks Department
- Friends of Robinson Lake
- The St. Sava Congregation
We are deeply appreciative of the kind support and engagement that our shared work has already received, and we look forward to collaboratively transforming this site in the years ahead.
