Learn About, Give Input on Parks’ Master Plans

Earlier this week, Hamilton County Parks announced it’s seeking input for two parks.

Being on the county parks’ email and text list, I got the message before the news was published in the local newspapers.

Hamilton County Parks is addressing the critical deficiency of parkland here, as defined by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and is seeking direction of how these park properties can best be used.

An open meeting for the community will be 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, at Bray Family Homestead Park, off of Indiana 38, in Noblesville.

I encourage the community to attend. It’s important that we all learn more and are able to ask questions and give input. The public forum will provide park development plans and discussion of potential recreational activities, amenities and programs that will be considered. Traditional park offerings, such as trails and shelters, will be discussed, along with other innovative recreational and nature education options proposed by planners and the public.

This meeting will gather input to help guide the master planning of the recently acquired HC Farms property at 216th Street and Hinkle Road, and nearby Bray Family Homestead Park, 4528 Sheridan Ave. (Indiana 38), in Noblesville.

The parks department’s plans at Bray Family Homestead Park — a 92-acre park acquired in 2007 from the Bray Family of Noblesville (who began arriving in 1836) — include trails, overlooks, feeding areas and new plantings. The park is also an ideal location to observe and enjoy spring wildflowers, according to the parks department.

The master plan drawings include interpretive educational signage, a playground that’s more like outdoor exercise equipment, nature play area and disc golf, a family play area for all ages, plus more agritourism (besides local maple syrup production) and including seasonal native fruits and nuts, with pawpaw, persimmon, serviceberry, blackberry, gooseberry, walnut, hickory, chestnut and butternut. A pollinator habitat and support area would include native prairie plants, butterfly and bee houses and pollinator hotels. A gathering area would have art sculpture, shade and benches. The current maple syrup area would be expanded and more than 100 trees would be planted, plus a new park shelter would house syrup demonstrations. The existing Sugar Shack would be renovated and expanded. There would be a future trail connection to McGregor Park. There would be park shelters for up to 50 people and for up to 20 people, a four-season rental building with restrooms and kitchen and expanded community gardens.

The HC Farms plan includes an amphitheater and outdoor classroom, wildlife viewing tower, live-feed wildlife trail cameras, park shelters, reclaimed historic bridge, pedestrian suspension bridge, education and programming opportunities with nature play, naturalist-led campfire and camping programs, and environmental art and sculpture. There would be an open field/Savanna habitat for invasive removal and bird watching, interpretive stations, an overlook, nature play, restroom and small maintenance barn and wooden boardwalk. 

The master plans, created by Mader Design of Beech Grove, will be on display at the open meeting.

It’s exciting to see and hear about Hamilton County Parks’ projects.

There are many more parks projects to come as the parks department begins work to develop these parks-owned properties. Undeveloped park land includes: Acorn Park, a 40-acre property that sits along Cool Creek and adjacent to Cool Creek Park; Allisonville Road property, one-acre property off of the White River; Burr Oak Bend, made up of land parcels that are adjacent to and near Riverwood Canoe Landing; and Harger Trace, six acres in Wayne Township, acquired with the intention of it to be the capstone of the Midland Trace Bike Trail.

To learn more about our Hamilton County parks, visit hamiltoncounty.in.gov/338/Find-A-Park.

Contact Betsy Reason at betsy@thetimes24-7.com.