The marina's last weeks ran on short hours. The HLPOA posted on October 8 that the marina would be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through October 18. That's a much shorter day than the 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. schedule the 2026 Welcome Book lists for the regular mid-March to mid-October season. Since Sunday the 18th, the marina counter has been closed for the year. The building at 1000 Marina Dr. is still open, though, because it was designed to stay open.
What Closed on the 18th
The marina counter covers a lot of lake life in a small space. The Welcome Book lists boat registrations, gasoline and oil, marine batteries, spark plugs, life jackets, orange warning flags, live and artificial bait, tackle, ice cream, coffee, sandwiches, charcoal, and Heritage Lake shirts and hats. All of that is now on hold until spring. The posted season reopens in mid-March, weather permitting.
Two things keep the marina side of the lake in use after that: the restaurant in the building and a calendar of events that starts in its parking lot.
A Building Planned With a Kitchen in It
When Sahm's Haven opened, the Banner Graphic covered the ribbon cutting, where ribbons were cut for both the new restaurant and the rebuilt marina. The paper traced the idea back to former board president Charlie Beard. Property manager Ken Rozelle told the paper that "Charlie had a vision that he spoke about and this building behind me was the vision."
The old marina had to be replaced either way. A restaurant was a hope built into the plan. Board President Paul Forbes told the Banner Graphic, "We thought we'd put enough storage in there in case we found a restaurateur down the road," and said Ed Sahm helped design the kitchen before deciding to open there himself. According to the same report, the project also needed the county to rezone the land under the marina, and it opened during Heritage Lake's 50th anniversary year.
Sahm also told the paper the restaurant wasn't meant to be a summer-only stop:
"I've been doing this for 36 years now, so we have a full understanding of what you need in the summer time, what you need in the winter time. We're here to feed you throughout the year."
The Sahm family runs Sahm's Place in Broad Ripple and restaurants in Carmel, Fishers, Nora, Bloomington, Pendleton and Attica, the Banner Graphic noted, so the off-season isn't new territory for the kitchen.
Two Schedules Under One Roof
Here is how the two businesses in the building compare for late October 2026:
| Marina counter | Sahm's Haven | |
|---|---|---|
| Status after October 18 | Closed for the season | Posted weekly hours continue |
| Weekday hours | 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the final fall stretch | Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Weekend hours | Same short day | Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
The Sahm's Haven site lists those hours with no separate winter schedule. It describes scratch-made food and beer from Big Lug Canteen, the family's Indianapolis brewery, on tap and in cans. The hours have changed at least once already. At opening, the Banner Graphic printed later closing times than the ones posted now. Around Thanksgiving and the December holidays, it makes sense to call the restaurant at (765) 276-6776 before driving over.
One rule matters for dog owners. The 2026 Lake Rules say no pets are allowed on the Marina dock or inside the Marina facility, except guide dogs or service dogs in use. A walk with the family dog can end at the building, but unless it is a guide or service dog in use, it waits outside.
The Parking Lot Gets Its Biggest Night Next
The marina's first big off-season event happens in its parking lot. The HLPOA's Trunk or Treat is set for Saturday, October 24, starting at 5:30 p.m. in the marina lot. The association's October post lists 5:30 to 7 p.m. The printed Welcome Book had 5:30 to 7:30, so the online post is the one to go by. With the restaurant open late on Saturdays, families can eat in the same building after the cars pack up.
The lake stays open too, in a narrower way. Under the 2026 Lake Rules, adopted January 12, 2026, fishing is allowed all year with no license required. Only members in good standing and their guests may fish. Once the ice comes in, a few more rules apply:
- Ice-fishing holes can be no more than eight inches across and must be cut with a commercial auger. Axe-cut holes aren't allowed, and holes cut for anything other than fishing are prohibited.
- Cars, trucks, ATVs and RVs are not allowed on the ice. Snowmobiles displaying Heritage Lake stickers and a lot number are allowed. They can't run on the lake between sunset and sunrise, and within 100 feet of a person they must go five mph or slower.
- Owners keeping a boat on a lift over the winter are asked to use last year's permit sticker to bring the boat to the Marina by April 1, if possible, to register it for the new season.
For anyone who takes a boat out on a mild late-fall afternoon, the HLPOA's September 28 notice still applies. It covers a shallow area near the boardwalk dock across from the marina where rocks have damaged props. Crews removed the rocks they could find when the lake was lowered last winter and added a buoy to mark the spot. The association adds that "conditions under the water can change."
Then the Calendar Moves Up to the Clubhouse
After Halloween weekend, community events move from the waterfront to the Clubhouse complex at 1000 Clubhouse. The HLPOA calendar and Welcome Book list these dates for the rest of the year:
- Saturday, October 31: The campground closes.
- Saturday, November 7, 7 to 9 p.m.: Neighbor Meet & Greet at the Activity Center.
- Wednesday, November 11, 8 to 10:30 a.m.: Free Veterans Breakfast in the lower level of the Clubhouse.
- Saturday, November 14, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Holiday Bazaar at the Clubhouse.
- Saturday, December 5, 1 to 4 p.m.: Pictures with Santa.
The Welcome Book notes that dates and times may change. It also lists the groups that keep the Clubhouse busy between big events: Book Club, Quilt & Stitch Club, Homemakers, Dominos, Euchre, Pickle Ball, the Car Club and Volley Ball. Schedules for these appear in the monthly Heritage Lake Highlights newsletter and on the HLPOA website.
The POA office inside the Clubhouse keeps off-season hours of Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m. to noon. It's closed November 26 and 27 and again from December 17 through January 4, 2027. Get any year-end paperwork in before mid-December.
Families planning a holiday gathering bigger than the house can handle can rent space there. The Clubhouse lower level and kitchen rent to members for $50 an hour with a two-hour minimum and a $300 deposit, for parties of up to 150. The Activity Center rents for $75 an hour on the same deposit and minimum, for parties of up to 75. Both can now be booked on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, with reservations taken up to 12 months ahead.
One Weekend Down the Road
If you're heading south on October 24, Greencastle's city calendar lists a Fall Market at the Putnam County Fairgrounds, 191 US-231, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The YMCA Family Fall Festival runs that evening from 5 to 9 p.m. at 1111 S. Calbert Way. The city's Boo Bash Trick or Treating is the night before, Friday, October 23, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Robe Ann Park. That gives families with young kids two trick-or-treat nights in a row before the marina lot event on Saturday.
The lake rules above are the HLPOA's own rules, and they can change. This post is general information, not legal advice, so check the current rules with the POA office before you head out on the ice or bring a boat in for registration.
If you're wondering how a year-round restaurant and an active off-season calendar fit into a home decision at the lake, whether you're buying, selling, or just curious, Premier Partners is happy to talk it through, in English or Spanish. Contact Us.
