The city of Gary is donating a portion of a high dune near the former Nobel Elementary in the city’s Miller section to a local conservation group.

The Gary Redevelopment Commission recently approved a resolution giving the undevelopable dune to the Shirley Heinze Land Trust.

Its executive director, Kristopher Krouse said it already owns land adjacent to Nobel and will use the 5-acre addition to augment a trail already established.

He said the land trust has acquired small parcels in the Miller dunes over the past 40 years.

“Many small parcels we’ve acquired in Miller include high dunes, wetland and woodlands. We’ve been protecting and consolidating them,” Krouse said.

“One of the nicest areas is immediately adjacent to old Nobel and called Bayless Dune Nature Preserve.”

The 4-acre Bayless Dune property is part of 16 acres the Heinze Trust owns and manages. A marked quarter-mile trail runs through the property.

Krouse said the site’s biodiversity will be maintained and the property will be publicly accessible and signage will connect to the existing trail at Bayless Dune.

Redevelopment commission members praised the project. George Rogge said ever since Nobel Elementary closed, he hoped a positive development could take root there.

The city hopes to develop and market the Nobel property it recently acquired from the Gary Community School Corp. The vacant building, at 601 Pottawatomi Trail, has been ravaged by vandals and scrappers.

Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.