MISHAWAKA — Mishawaka Mayor Dave Wood touted the city’s approaching bicentennial during his 15th State of the City address Thursday, April 30, where he emphasized American resilience as something Mishawaka residents live every day.
This steady resilience, Wood said, has allowed Mishawaka to achieve new energy, momentum and meaningful growth that he feels is “pulsing throughout the Princess City.”
“So, what is the state of the city?” Wood said. “It’s strong. It’s safe. It’s financially stable. It’s growing. And it’s resilient. That’s not new. That’s who we’ve been.
“We’re guided by the values that built the city: hard work, vision and resilience. And because of that, we’re not just holding steady, we’re moving forward with purpose. We can feel it.”
Strength
Mishawaka was founded in 1833, making the city only 57 years younger than the United States. Mishawaka has survived 193 years that have included the industrial successes of the Dodge Manufacturing Company and Ball-Band Rubber Company as well as the challenges of a devasting fire in 1872, a global pandemic in 2020 and, presently, economic uncertainty because of the effects of Senate Enrolled Act 1. Wood attributes this resilience to the strength of the city.
He believes that the path to continued strength for the years to come is investment in the “future leaders.” Wood called the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council his most important initiative and even invited Mishawaka High School junior and MYAC member Dakoda Shannon to speak.
Wood said inviting Dakoda to speak was “the first time in city history someone other than the mayor has addressed the council during a State of the City.”
“Being a part of this council has been one of the most meaningful things I have done because it’s not just about meetings or projects,” Dakoda said. “It’s about having a real voice in our city and working alongside people who truly care to make Mishawaka better.”
Shannon asked his fellow MYAC members to stand, then said, “Take a look around. This is our future, and it’s a good one.
“I’m incredibly proud to stand alongside them,” Dakoda said. “This is how we keep Mishawaka strong.”
Public safety as the foundation
Over the last six years, crime in Mishawaka has gone down. Wood said that out of his 16 years in office, he has seen crime rates go down in 14 of those years.
There was a 3.68% decrease in Part 1 crimes in 2025 compared to 2024. In 2024, there were 2,147 Part 1 crimes and 2,068 in 2025. Most notably, there were 5,750 fewer calls for service in 2025 than in 2024: 48,548 in 2024 and 42,798 in 2025.
“That’s not luck,” Wood said. “That’s great leadership.”
The Mishawaka Police Department and the Mishawaka Fire Department will get a new joint training center. The facility will sit on city-owned property adjacent to the Mishawaka Organic Center. Construction will be completed, according to Wood, in late 2026.
The new facility was designed for hands-on classroom instruction for police, fire, emergency medical services and emergency response training. Wood said the facility will help improve preparedness and interdepartmental coordination.
An unexpected winter
This past winter brought over 8 feet of snow to St. Joseph County, according to Tribune reporting. As previous years in the county hadn’t seen nearly this much snow, crews and resources were pushed to the limit. Salt became scarce and expensive, Wood said.
“Mishawaka is resilient,” Wood said. “Last winter proved it.”
An intense winter of heavy snow, ice, wind and frigid temperatures, Wood said, revealed the need for more capacity.
“We’re building a new soft barn at the former Dodge site, large enough to store a full season’s supplies so that we are not held captive to the whims of mother nature, nor of the pricing and scarcity of the marketplace,” Wood said.
Budget and SEA 1
Mishawaka is financially stable — for the time being.
Wood grades Mishawaka’s current financial situation as a C+.
Mishawaka has a total budget just shy of $78 million, although the general fund balance was down 16% at the end of 2025 with $17.4 million. In 2024, the general fund balance was $20.8 million.
“We’re in a good place now, but circumstances outside of our control, namely SEA 1, have created significant uncertainty in our budget,” Wood said. “And budgets in government organizations hate uncertainty.
“We’re staying disciplined and we’re planning ahead because it doesn’t take much — a downturn in the economy, or decisions made at the state level — to compound a difficult situation and change our financial picture very quickly.”
A few of the projects around the city
Wood spoke of many different construction projects taking place around Mishawaka, from sewer line repairs, street lighting and infrastructure maintenance to completely renovated parks, housing and even the historical Battell Park rock garden. Some projects are finally coming to fruition after years of conversations and planning.
● The 70-acre Gurley Leep Auto Campus broke ground April 27 and has plans to be completed by October 2027, as The Tribune has previously reported. The auto campus will be home to 11 automotive brands, a dog park, a publicly available car wash and a full-service collision center.
● The 100 Center, built in 1853, was originally the Kamm-Schellinger Brewery. The historic building is expected to be restored into shops, restaurants and residential living. Due to a $5.64 million READI grant, the 100 Center Historic Revitalization Project will turn the decaying building into over 100 residential units, over 79,000 square feet of commercial space and 20 short-term rental spaces. Wood said work will continue in 2026, but the completion date is unknown at this time.
● Phase two construction at Rose Park was completed in October with new amenities: basketball courts, pickleball courts, tennis courts, pavilion, a Gaga Pit, and permanent Bocce Ball and Belgian throwing lanes. Phase three is expected to finish in late 2026.
● Phase one construction at Normain Heights Park is said to be completed mid-summer. The renovated park will include a new playground, splash pad, trail, pavilions, restrooms and a Miracle League diamond. According to previous Tribune reporting, the Miracle League Field is smaller and specially designed for children and adults with physical and cognitive disabilities to play baseball.
● George Wilson Park is set to become a year-round destination, Wood said, allowing people to ski, snowboard and tube in the middle of summer. The project is in partnership with Visit South Bend Mishawaka. The year-round, artificial snow slopes are expected to feature 300-foot tubing lanes with tunnels and misters, two ski and snowboard lanes with misters, and a 300-foot carpet lift. The artificial slopes use technology by Neveplast.
● In partnership with Habitat for Humanity of St. Joseph County, a new workforce housing neighborhood, Woodfield Crossing, will be transformed from an old mobile home park into housing for over 60 families. A case study published in 2023 by the University of Notre Dame’s School of Architecture Housing and Community Regeneration Initiative proposed the project. The Housing and Community Regeneration Initiative aids municipalities and nonprofits by reimagining a built environment to provide economic assistance. According to the case study, construction is set to begin spring 2026.
Front Porch Fridays
If you are interested in having a casual conversation with Wood, meet him for his third year of Front Porch Fridays. Although dates and locations haven’t been announced yet, Wood said that he hopes to do them regularly and even would like to hold multiple ones at various times of the day.
“At the end of the day, what makes Mishawaka strong isn’t just projects, plans or numbers,” Wood said. “It’s people and our values, and like any great institution, our values are non-negotiable.
“We adapt to changing times, but we uphold our unchanging values.”
Email Tribune staff writer Juliane Balog at jbalog@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Mishawaka mayor highlights city’s strength and resilience in address
Reporting by Juliane Balog , South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
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