The Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department is preparing for cold weather by shutting off water service to drinking fountains, restrooms, and irrigation systems in its facilities during the months of October and November.
According to operations coordinator Barb Dunbar, there are more than 30 sites in the parks system where the water supply needs to be shut off before the first hard freeze, to prevent costly damage to pipes and fixtures. The most heavily visited parks, including Bryan Park, Ferguson Dog Park, and Lower Cascades Park, will be among the last facilities to undergo the winterization process.
Each park’s water services will be shut off according to the following schedule:
Week of October 15
Broadview Park
Crestmont Park
Highland Village Park
Park Ridge East Park
Park Ridge Park
Schmalz Farm Park
Seminary Park
Week of October 22
Bloomington Rail Trail trailhead
Building Trades Park
Peoples Park
Southeast Park
Miller-Showers Park
The Waldron, Hill and Buskirk Park
Skate Park at Upper Cascades
Week of October 29
B-Line Trail
Rev. Ernest D. Butler Park
Clear Creek Trail
Olcott Park
Sherwood Oaks Park
Winslow Sports Complex
Weeks of November 5 & 12
Bryan Park
Ferguson Dog Park
Jackson Creek Trail
Lower Cascades Park
Upper Cascades Park
RCA Community Park
Sherwood Oaks Park
Upper Cascades Park
Winslow Woods Park
For more information about the water shut-off schedule for city parks, contact Barb Dunbar, operations coordinator, at 812-349-3498 or dunbarb@bloomington.in.gov.
###
Park Ambassador
A volunteer program that promotes community stewardship of public parks and greenspaces.
Bryan Park
33-acre park with ballfields, playgrounds, picnic shelters and Bryan Park Pool
Rev Ernest D Butler Park
Small community park with a trail, community gardens, an accessible playground, and picnic shelters
Broadview Park
RCA Community Park
48-acre park with playground, trails, basketball, tennis & pickleball courts, and two reservable shelters.
Building Trades Park
Small park located across from Bloomington Hospital with basketball goals, an accessible playground, and a reservable shelter.
Lower Cascades Park
Lower Cascades contain the largest most accessible playground and a waterfall among other amenities
Upper Cascades Park
Featuring a reservable shelter and a skate park, connected to Cascades Golf Course
Crestmont Park
Ferguson Dog Park
Fenced, off-leash dog park with areas for large and small dogs. Dogs must be spayed or neutered to visit the park.
Goat Farm
31.5 acres of passive green space including a prairie project connected to Sherwood Oaks Park
Griffy Lake Nature Preserve
A nature preserve surrounding Griffy Lake with hiking trails and seasonal boat rental.
Highland Village Park
Leonard Springs Nature Park
95.5 acres on S. Leonard Springs Rd with two hiking trails
Miller-Showers Park
Olcott Park
The park near Jackson Creek Middle School features an accessible playground, .5 mile trail, reservable playfields and picnic shelter.
Park Ridge Park
Park Ridge East Park
4.49-acre park
Peoples Park
One-third acre located near Sample Gates, 501 E. Kirkwood at the corner of Dunn Street and Kirkwood Avenue
Schmalz Farm Park
Six-acre park located along the east branch of Jackson Creek with a playground, play field, and a non-reservable shelter
Sherwood Oaks Park
A 15-acre park with a playground, shelter, tennis courts, and basketball goals that connects to Olcott Park through the Jackson Creek trail.
Southeast Park
Nine-acre park with a non-reservable shelter, tennis and basketball courts
Waldron, Hill and Buskirk Park
One of Bloomington's first city parks, with a playground, outdoor stage and fountain.
Wapehani Mountain Bike Park
Five miles of dirt trails perfect for mountain bikes off Weimer Road in Southwestern Bloomington
Switchyard Park
Switchyard Park construction will be substantially completed, and facilities open and operational, by November 2019. Final completion, including seasonal plantings, is scheduled for May 2020.
Winslow Woods Park
Home to a community garden, reservable shelter, and other amenities
Special Events or Filming in City Parks and Trails
Special permission is required to hold a public event in a city park or on a city trail, or to conduct commercial filming on city property.
Removal or Suspension from Bloomington Parks and Recreation Properties
Actions that could result in removal or suspension from city parks, and the appeal process.