Two new playgrounds are set to open this weekend at Memorial Park in Fortville, replacing some equipment that was more than 80 years old.
Tom Russo | Daily Reporter
FORTVILLE – Construction is nearly complete on two new playgrounds in Fortville’s Memorial Park.
Parks director Heath Luther is hopeful the playgrounds will be ready for play this weekend, if the weather and work schedules allow.
“They are at the tail end of being finished,” Luther said Wednesday.
The new playground near the park entrance is roughly 2,000 square feet while the one near the back of the park by the shelter house is roughly 2,800 square feet.
Both feature parkour-style climbing equipment and rubber surfaces.
The larger playground also features a new merry-go-round, musical instruments, swings and a small slide.
Luther hopes to have concrete curbs and ADA-accessible ramps poured soon.
“Anything we do moving forward will have an element of inclusivity to it. That’s the goal,” said Health, who has led the parks department since 2017.
The new equipment replaces much older amenities, some of which were more than 80 years old.
“As many people know, our park has good bones but much of the equipment has been there since the 1950s and ‘60s and needs to be updated,” said Heath.
Finding the funding, however, is no walk in the park.
“Fortville is obviously growing but people don’t realize we still have a tax base of around 5,000 people – it’s not Fishers – so we’ll continue to adjust our budget as needed as we look to outside sources of revenue,” said Heath.
Having the Hancock County Boys & Girls Club lease space at the community center this year certainly helped, he said, as does revenue from the athletic fields and Fortville Dog Park in Memorial Park.
Any sponsorships the town acquires for community events – like Summerfest and Winterfest – is spent on those events.
“I think a lot of people think we’re getting sponsorships that will help (with park improvements), yet the reality is a lot of those events are break-even events, but we enjoy doing them because it’s something fun for the community,” said Heath, who welcomes partnerships between the parks and private donors.
The Fortville Parks Department maintains two parks.
Memorial Park, at 400 W. Church St., includes the dog park, six baseball and softball diamonds, two basketball courts, two tennis/pickleball courts, three playgrounds, a skate park and two hill slides.
Landmark Park, at 201 E. Staat St., features a gazebo, playground and an open field.
Heath said his department has high hopes of enhancing Landmark Park in the future, including the addition of a new playground, restrooms, a shelter and possibly a stage.
“I’m hoping that with the town’s master plan (being revised) in the next two years, we’ll be able to do some of these renovations,” he said.
To learn more about the Fortville Parks, visit fortvilleindiana.org/parks-recreation.
