Anderson Park is a 7-acre park in Plainfield with its primary feature being a skate park that's…read moreopen seasonally (April-October). The skate park can be reserved. The park opened in 1983 and is named after Frank Anderson, a longtime park employee and foreman. I always kind of chuckle when a fairly modest park is a "memorial" park. I'm thinking Hummel and Swinford got better deals. There's a decent amount of greenery here with trails, shelters, and picnic tables. The park is considered pet friendly. While I no longer skateboard (both age and disability), I did when I was younger and during good weather it's a blast watching kids of all ages boarding in the park. The skate park has ramps, grind rails, ledges, bowls, and is easily great for beginners and experienced boarders. I'd say the skate park seems a little better maintained than the overall park, however, it's also a much newer feature. There's not much else to be said about this relatively small park. It's best for those wanting to take an easy walk or those wanting to try some not so easy skateboarding. If you're looking for many other features, I'd likely check out one of Plainfield's bigger parks.

Sitting on only 7 acres, this park is Plainfield's smallest park, by far. The State of Indiana…read moredonated the land to Plainfield a few years ago. The city named the park in honor of Frank Anderson, a 27-year park employee and foreman. There is really no parking for this park outside of the roundabout located in the front of it. However, The much larger Swinford Park, which it is connected by a pedestrian walkway that crosses South Center Street. It is also connected to the nearby Hummel Park via a walkway that winds south along South Center. The park is home to a decent sized picnic shelter. But since I visited the park in the winter, there were no picnic tables under there. They were removed for the off-season. You will also find an "OK" fitness trail with equipment and directions on how to use said equipment. There is a push up station, and a sit up station, to name a few. Being such a small park, there is a lot of green space with benches places around to sit and relax. I did not see any playground equipment or restrooms, but if that is what you are looking for, you will find that and much more right across the street at Swinford Park. This is a what you see is what you get kind of park. There is not much to it. The main draw for this park is its skate park, which is open from Aril through October. It is a very nice skate park and can get packed. The only other utility I see of this park is its pavilion and green space. It would be a nice semi-secluded place to host a party or special event. The field, which is in good shape, could be used to run around, play catch, have a soccer game, fly a kite, or have a football game.

This park, built on the site of a former school, is a few blocks northeast of the downtown area of…read moreFortville. The park has a central gazebo and garden, a small playground (swings and a slide), a soccer field (but no netting in the goals), and a tribute to the war veterans of Fortville. The open space looks like it could hold crowds for festivals. However, if you are in the area, the Memorial Park about a dozen blocks to the west has a lot more space and activities for visitors. This park is okay, but not worth making a drive to. Review #1035

This is touted as Greenfield's very first inclusive playground. It is named in memory of the…read moregrandson of the city's mayor, Chuck Fewell. who passed away with a rare genetic disorder, Hunter's Syndrome. The park opened in June 2022 and is very, very nice. You will find this park just southwest of Greenfield Central Jr. High School and just off the Greenfield Baseball Park. There is more than ample parking available, but it could become tight during a baseball tournament though. One thing to keep in mind is that this is purely a playground. There is no green space, there are no trails, nor are there any tennis courts or basketball courts. I also did not see any restroom facilities, but that does not mean that they are not there. They have a decent sized picnic shelter with picnic tables under it. It is very nice. The play area has the rubbery mud free surface that is being used on most new playgrounds. The equipment is first class. There is a huge jungle gym with slides and a climbing net. There is a bank of swings with expression and traditional swings. You will also find congos, a saucer swing, a new age merry go round, and a sit and spin. Some of the equipment, including the jungle gym has a built-in shade and I love that they have placed benches around the play area where parents can sit and watch their littles. This inclusive playground features safety swings for children of all abilities, wheelchair ramps, and sensory stimulation such as musical instruments and roller-bar slides. It is first class and is in excellent shape. It still has that new car smell, so to speak. It is relatively small but has enough equipment to keep the littles entertained for s bit. This is a nice play option for those looking for a play space in Greenfield. I really like this playground and its inclusive theme. Many children with disabilities are left out of the planning of play spaces, but this one was actually designed with them in mind. I recommend checking this place out.

Known as a pocket park with a purpose, this is a small park nestled away in the Hawthorne…read moreneighborhood. It is literally behind 2 houses. It dates back to 2013, and was created after receiving a Project Green Space Grant from KIB.You can find parking in front of one of the houses, but keep in mind that parking is only allows on one side of the street. It is a small art park, that use to be an abandoned lot that was full of illegally dumped trash and furniture and drug paraphernalia. The first thing that yo notice when you see the park is it's bright yellow 1964 Pontiac Bonneville sitting vertical. You will also find bench seating and a picnic table around the car and a fire pit with some stump seating around it as well. The fence is painted with a rainbow version of the city's skyline. In addition to serving as a place to display public art, the park serves as a place that local residents can garden. There are also some fruit trees there. You will also find this home to many species of local native vegetation. Events are hosted at the park throughout the year such as Art in the Park. So, outside of one of these special events, you probably will not spend a lot of time at this park. It is however, a nice place to see and has a wonderful backstory about a neighborhood coming together and doing something positive in their community. And plus you get to see some cool public art (for free) and it provides for some awesome photos.

This used to be an abandoned lot, and now it's a beautiful space for the community. You gotta love…read morethe great things that can happen when residents come together to make their neighborhood better. Purpose Park is a pocket park in the Hawthorne neighborhood. It's on a quiet, residential street, and you would probably drive right by it, except for the fact that there's a yellow 1964 Pontiac Bonneville planted right in the the ground at the entrance of the park. It's a photo op for sure, but also practical: The bottom of the car has been smoothed and is used as a projection screen for neighborhood movie nights. It's a small little park, but it serves the local residents by being a place to plant vegetables (there is a raised bed community garden here). There are also fruit trees and grape vines that surround the park. There's a casita that's used for community performances. There are wooden stumps that circle a fire pit that the neighbors use for summertime campfires. According to Purpose Park's Facebook page, this pocket park is a meeting area for community events, such as Easter egg hunts and other gatherings. I love pocket parks so much, and this little one is a great addition to Indianapolis' amazing community spaces.

Just a short drive from the State Fairgrounds is a block-sized park with a nice sized hill and some…read moremature trees. Apparently this park is a haven for birds. It looks like just about any other bare lot with trees. It may be a place for bird watching, but with a title like this, I expected some information kiosks or some thing useful to people stopping by the park. Frankly, I'm not sure why this block is named this way. It still is a nice place for the neighborhood. Who doesn't like a calm and shaded woodland within walking distance? But it isn't a destination for anyone else. No benches, no shelter, no playground, no information. Oh, well. Review #720

Hidden away on a quiet little side street, near the Fairgrounds & right off the Monon Trail. Set…read moreaside in 1925, it remains one of the very few urban bird sanctuaries in the US. At first glance, it doesn't seem like much. But get out of your car or off your bike. Look at the interesting varieties of trees, both young & old. Walk the uneven dirt path, concentrating on the uncut native flowers, grasses, & bushes in the interior of the preserve. Suddenly, you're not in the city anymore. You hear the birds, you feel the breeze, the sun filters through the leafy branches. This is the way I like it, mostly undeveloped & undisturbed. Surrounded by a charming neighborhood with well-kept houses, it's a lovely little oasis in the middle of Indianapolis.

This very small park is located in the vicinity of many other wonderful Greenwood Parks and in…read morewalking distance from the community center. It does not have any parking associated with it. I just parked at the community center and walked over. This park is two acres and is in a bad location. It is at the intersection of a busy street and a train track. It can get very loud there. The central point of the park is the gazebo, which can be rented for events. There are also a few park benches around the gazebo and a memorial to Genevieve "Genny" Worsham, a former Greenwood secretary and treasurer that passed away in 2008, off to the side. Additionally there is a path leading from the entrance to the gazebo that is lined with colorful tiles, which are neat. I did not spend too much time at this small park and given its location, I did not find it very relaxing or soothing. They is not much to do at this park outside of sitting on one of the benches and reflecting.

This two acre park is intended as a place for relaxation. I am not sure why it was named…read moreChildren's Garden because there are no activities for children to do here. There aren't even open areas for children to run. Instead, the park has a central gazebo with benches, a fountain on the west end, and a memorial to four term secretary-treasurer Genny Worsham. A paved pathway from the west end to the gazebo is lined with small mosaic tiles. A handful of benches surround the gazebo. Outside the paved area of the gazebo, a ring of shrubbery is set a few feet beyond. A small brick half wall runs along the north side of the park acting as a shield to the street. There is no specific parking but there are spaces across the street. Review #664

Well, this park is gone. They have torn it down and started putting up buildings. The only thing…read morethat remains is the nature trail. There is no easy parking available to access the trail. I had to park in the neighborhood (Walker Farms) that borders the park and walk over. It was about a quarter-mile walk. The nature trail is small, but well defined. Most of it is paved. You will find a few benches along the trail and the trail head borders a small pond. There is also a picnic table over there that overlooks the pond. The trail does not go too deep in the woods and you are never too far from the road. You will always be able to see houses and/or the road while you are on the trail, so you should not get lost. As I mentioned the park's parking lot and playground equipment are long gone, probably due to main Street park being so close. The construction has also affected parts of the trail as well. All you see are most of the trail and remnants of the park now such as a handicap parking sign or trash cans. I am not sure if there are plans to rebuild to park or not after the construction is done. So, as it stands today , the park does not have much value outside of visitors from the nearby neighborhoods walking the trail to get out and get a quick immersion in nature. This is definitely not a destination spot, nor a place I would recommend traveling to visit.

This 11 acre park and nature trail is part of the Zionsville Park system and services the…read moresurrounding neighborhoods of Whitestown. The short nature trail has a hard surface but access is over grass. There is natural prairie surrounded by young trees. Maybe a good place to bird watch. Summer overgrowth of the trail left me feeling somewhat unsafe. The play structure is small with basic swings, slides and climbing structure. Not as fancy as the nearby Main Street Park. The local 4-H donated a small pavilion complete with tables and waste cans. The park features a large retention pond with paved sidewalks and benches on two sides. There are supplies for cleaning up after your pooch. Also, there is a nicely maintained field that can be used for soccer or football. There is parking for 16 cars. This is a good neighborhood park.

Ringgold Park has been completely revitalized as of the summer of 2023. It has new (and awesome)…read moreplayground equipment and rubberized, synthetic turf surfacing installed around the playground. The park is tiny -- just 0.19 acres, and there is no parking lot, just street parking. This pocket park is maintained by Indy Parks & Recreation. The park playground features a climbing structure, a swing set with swing-along swings that accommodate both child and caregiver, and a seesaw. There are also two benches off to the side for parents and caregivers to sit and watch their children play. There are some natural spaces around the park that are maintained by Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Indy Parks and Bates-Hendricks neighbors. All around the park are native plants and shrubbery, as well as bird boxes to encourage wildlife to visit. I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way to bring my children to this park because it's so small. But if you're in the area and need a place for your child to play, this will more than serve its purpose!

This pocket park was shaped as I-65 sliced through the near east side forming a triangular shape at…read morethe end of Ringgold Street. A small raised patch of land was turned into a neighborhood park. The park has recently upgraded to add new mulch and some shrubs were planted. The park only has one bench for seating. There are a few swings and a retro spring-type piece of equipment to use like a teeter totter. Other than these few items, there isn't much for kids or adults to do. No running water and no designated parking mean that the most likely users of this park at the back side of the neighborhood will be families that live within walking distance. Review #537