Page last updated on June 6, 2024 at 12:34 pm
This page provides an overview of current projects happening at parks, trails, and facilities. Projects will be organized by location with current details below.
Bryan Park Playground Replacement
Parks and Recreation is using $360,000 of the City's American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to replace the Bryan Park juvenile (intended for children ages 5 to 12 years) playground. A grand opening ceremony is scheduled to take place Friday, June 28 at 11:30 a.m. at the new playground.
Building Trades Park Master Plan
A new master plan created for Building Trades Park addresses aging park infrastructure, as well as future anticipated needs and community wants for the park. Mader Design, a Beech Grove, Ind. based landscape architect firm, presented the final Building Trades Park Master Plan to the Board of Park Commissioners at their May 2024 regular meeting. A first round of park improvements, focusing on accessibility, are planned to be contracted before the end of 2024 using a portion of the city's available American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.
Bicentennial Gateway
The Bicentennial Gateway was redesigned into a horizontally oriented limestone wall, with illuminated "Bloomington" lettering. The gateway area, on the north end of Miller-Showers Park, has space set aside for a commissioned public art piece through the Bloomington Arts Commission (BAC). A contract for the site preparation work is scheduled to be reviewed by the Board of Park Commissioners at their June 25 meeting. These improvements are being made through use of 2018 Bicentennial Bond funds.
Updated renderings of the concept were shared at the end of November 2023 after considering public feedback. Additional feedback on the redesigned gateway concept was collected through Dec. 15, 2023. For more information or updates, email parks@bloomington.in.gov or call 812-349-3700.
Clear Creek Trail
The Clear Creek Trail will be closed June 26, 2024 at Gordon Pike for the construction of an access trail between Gordon Pike and the trail, in preparation for a new vehicle bridge that will connect Gordon and Fullerton Pikes. The closure is .57 miles south of Rockport Road and .56 miles north of West That Road.
Hopewell Commons
A new, one-acre urban park dubbed "Hopewell Commons" is scheduled to be complete in 2024. Part of the Phase I East Hopewell Neighborhood Development, Hopewell Commons is west of the Seminary Square Kroger. The park includes trees, greenspace, a covered pavilion, and a play structure. It is being built with sustainable features including permeable pavers, a stormwater swale with native plants, soil cells for street trees, and a stormwater cistern to capture rainwater for irrigation.
RCA Community Park
A project currently underway at RCA Community Park is the construction of a new rentable picnic shelter at the location indicated below (just west of the restroom building) in summer 2024. This 37' x 42' shelter replaces the old large shelter that was removed from the western edge of the field last year.
Urban Forestry & Tree Planting
During 2024, Parks and Recreation will replant approximately 150 trees along the Duke Energy's Bloomington Reliability Project corridors (mostly on Rogers Street and 17th Street). A contract with Morin's Landscaping to plant these trees was approved at the March Board of Park Commissioners meeting. Additionally, a third phase of the Bicentennial Tree planting throughout the city is planned to be contracted for planting in 2025 by the end of this year.