DEKALB COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) — After over two years of owning an empty Auburn-Garrett Drive-In, Julie Yarde hopes to fill it this spring.
“I’m so excited because, you know, it’s been a long time coming,” Yarde said.
The drive-in had an original opening date of Memorial Day 2024. According to Yarde, the decision to delay the opening was made by the contractors assigned to build the screen, she had no choice in pushing it back.
“My contractors had never built a screen before, they wanted to make sure it was right.”
Last weekend, the drive-in’s screen was restored after $25,000 was raised through a GoFundMe page. Because the original goal was $125,000, Yarde supplemented the cost to rebuild the screen with a six-figure loan, using the drive-in’s land as collateral.
Before the drive-in opens, Yarde and her family are fixing up the rest of the lot. A few projects include smoothing out the land construction vehicles have traversed, and re-doing the gravel paths.
Once they have the drive-in up and running, people may not just come back for the movies.
Yarde said she wants to open the lot up for more community activity. She plans to allow people to use the drive-in for daily walks and to host non-profit events, at no charge. A playground and free internet also may come to the drive-in’s lot.
“We just want the community to love this space and have a place for them to go.”
In rural towns like Auburn and Garrett where things to do may seem scarce, Yarde says the drive-in will be a priceless source of entertainment, especially for families.
“Families can come together, two or three cars full of people can meet together as a group and hang out, enjoy a movie and make new memories.”
Yarde says her “goal” is to re-open the drive-in at the beginning of May.
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