In 2009, the City of Portage completed work on the Lakefront Park and Riverwalk, a $16 million project fueled by $10 million in grants from the RDA. Once the site of acid baths for a nearby steel plant, the park and riverwalk is now one of the most-visited attractions at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, offering both outdoor recreational opportunities and indoor event space in a LEED Gold-certified pavilion.
Portage is expanding access to the park by connecting it to the South Shore train station in Ogden Dunes. Scheduled to be finished by October, the new connection will allow people to safely walk or bike from the station to the lakefront. Trolley service between the station and the park is also under consideration.
