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.

Sweet walk down memory lane to read my old "pre-children" review of this park now that we have a…read more3.5 year old and 9mos.old in the house. This park ended up being quite the refuge during COVID and a daily spot for my son and his nanny. From the covered seating area with outdoor grills to the playscapes for various ages, there's a little something for everyone here. Not to mention the adorable Northside Lights festivities featuring Santa each year for the neighborhood celebration.

For sentimental reasons alone, I'm inclined to offer this Old Northside park a five-star rating…read moredespite minor reservations around accessibility. Shawn Grove Park is managed by the Old Northside Foundation. Located at 1401 N. Alabama, the park was created to memorialize 24-year-old Shawn Grove, a Riley Hospital nurse who was shot to death outside a nearby Jack's Pizza while resisting a purse grab. I'm not sure you could better honor a nurse than to create a park such as the Shawn Grove Park. It's got two playgrounds - one is considered a toddler playground and is fenced in and the other is for older kids. This is definitely a small park - I'd say it's slightly larger than a pocket park, however, it's definitely not a destination park. It's a true neighborhood park that's ideal for gathering and ideal for small children. It's well-maintained. Parking around here is fairly easy (a bit tougher for wheelchair users since it's primarily street parking and the street is a bit narrow). The surface in the toddler area is fun and seems to be designed with toddler safety in mind. It's sort of comprised of mosaic rubber bits. There's swings and slides older kids. There's a covered area with picnic tables, bike racks, and fun rides. I don't get to the Old Northside a whole lot, but as someone who's been a lifelong activist in violence prevention this is a place I stop whenever I do. I'm grateful that even after all these years it continues to be well-maintained. In terms of my minor accessibility concerns - these would be the difficulty of street parking, the slightly uneven surface, and the lack of adaptive features. However, curb cuts are solid here, the features are simple enough that they'll work with a lot of kids (with supervision), and there's too much to love about this park to give it anything less than five stars.

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.

It's hard to rate a park that has a cemetery. I don't want to be disrespectful, but it definitely…read moreaffects my basis. The "park" area of this spot has been designed to be peaceful and with plantings, could be a really pretty place to get away and be reflective. There is a small gazebo on site and a few paths with shrubbery form a central circle. A bench sits in the circle and there are lots of trees for shade. The cemetery is on the east end of the park and is hardly noticeable from the front of the park. Street parking is available across the street (southbound) on Union. Review #759

This park is what it is. It has tons of parking available in a few different set at lots. To get…read moreto the park, you take a sort drive through a wooded area. At he front of the park you will find three shelters with picnic tabes under them and grills just out side of them. The entrance to the park ends at the Monon Community Center and the Waterpark. The park's bread and butter by far is its trails. It has mile and miles of trails that are interconnected, some paved, some gravel and some dirt. Some through the woods and in the open. There is a storybook trail near the front of the park by the shelters. The trails are awesome with a capital A. They are well maintained and go for miles. You can walk, bike or run them if you so chooses and if you don't have a bike, don't worry. They have a kiosk that you can rent bikes. near the walkway leading to the water park. There is also a restroom there. You will find another restroom structure at the front of the park by the shelter area. The park itself has 3 miles of trails that wind through a variety of ecosystems including native prairies, wetlands, and woodlands. Its trails also connect to the Monon Greenway (it runs through the center of it, and has pretty much adopted it), which gives you more room to roam. Additionally, this park is connected to one of the most futuristic and best all around playgrounds that I have been to. If that was not enough. it has a community center and waterpark located on its grounds pretty much. RIght behind the playground area is a very peaceful lagoon and a boardwalk. It is very nice and I really enjoyed walking it. It has ducks and fish and I found it very tranquil. If you are planning on bike riding, walking, walking the dog and running (why would you want to do that :-)), this is the park for you, even if you have to drive a bit. This park is beautiful year-round, but I find it especially beautiful this time of year, the fall. When the leaves are changing colors and the weather is nice.

2020 has certainly been a year of new park discoveries. This past weekend, my husband and I…read morecelebrated our anniversary by checking out two new parks and grabbing a snow cone. It's the simple pleasures, right? I had visited the Monon Community Center and Waterpark several times before but never the Central Park East Woods that you pass as you enter the overall park. Central Park East Woods features a handful of trails, picnic areas, bathrooms, a community bookshelf and fun themed trails like the Paw Paw Path. I'm always a sucker for boardwalk paths too (what is about the look of boardwalk paths that always gets me to show up?). You'll find this park on the left hand side noted as "picnic area" as you enter the long winding drive for the Monon Center. Everything is within walking distance of one another.

What a nice little park. I highly recommend visiting the tennis area at Craig Park, and just…read morewatching people hit balls for a while. It's relaxing. There are bleachers at which to sit, and you can just sit and watch, and talk or not talk, depending on whether you're alone or sitting with someone who understands the value of talking and not talking. I'm usually visiting parks with my children, but this time, I did not. How luxurious to enjoy a park as an adult without children! Ingrained habits die hard, though, and I still made a beeline for the playground to check it out. The playground at Craig Park has some fun and somewhat modern equipment: multiple slides, traditional swings, things to climb. The playground area has wood chips on the ground. There's also a surprising amount of shade on the playground because of all of the trees around the area. Shade is so nice and kind of rare in a playground! Near the playground, there's a gaga ball court, pickleball courts and the aforementioned tennis courts. If you walk a little ways away from the playground -- just follow the paved trail -- you'll find a few different spots with fun things to play on along the way. This isn't the most modern park, but it's a nice and peaceful place in Greenwood to spend some time.

Craig Park has a little something for most people. Tennis courts, pickleball courts, a nice play…read morearea for little children, some covered shelters, paved walking paths that seem appropriate for all abilities. You can park off Smith Valley (watch out for the crazy double roundabout) or you can park in the center area south of the baseball/softball fields. In the evening, it's wellness and feels very safe for walking This is also the area that is used for fireworks for the Greenwood Fourth of July never on 4 July event If you want a farther walk, then just around that park you can add in the park at the library and cross the road which makes a nice circle.

I'm a big fan of parks and playgrounds, so I'm very glad that Commons Park exists. The playground…read moreat Commons Park has the biggest climbing spinner that I've ever seen on a playground ... and my children and I have been to a lot of playgrounds! It could easily fit a whole classroom of children on it. The playground also has a huge geometric climbing system; a huge play structure with a bridge, steps and a climber; slides; swings for all ages; and lots of opportunities to climb and get the wiggles out. The playground area is padded with soft tiles for easy landings. One of the best features of Commons Park is that this park is completely fenced all the way around. This helps to give parents with kids who like to dash some peace of mind. And not only is the park fenced, but the park is small enough to see where your child is wherever they are playing, as you sit at any of the benches that are placed around the park. This park also has an area where you can play table tennis (bring your own paddles and ball!), as well as a barbecue grill. Commons Park has a lot going for it. And I'm glad that this space is being used as a park, instead of what it used to be (apparently, this space was the site of a motorcycle gang). The downsides of this park -- which sits in a residential neighborhood -- is that there isn't a designated parking lot for the park. Parking is on the street. The other downside is that there isn't a bathroom or water fountain. So parents and caregivers of young children: Plan accordingly!

This is a very nice park. It is relatively new, opening in late 2018. It is very neat and clean and…read morehas newer/modern playground equipment. It is a very colorful park, which is good given the lands history. They have park benches and a grill. There is a cement ping pong table, a huge jungle gym , cargo nets, ropes, a large merry-go-round, two sets of swings, a beehive climber and other equipment I do not know the name of. The ground of the playground is covered in the rubber surface that is popping up at most newer playgrounds. Your kids will love this park. The park does not have a private lot, but there is free street parking available on the street bordering the park. The park is relatively small, spanning about a quarter acre. The playground is fenced in, which is good because it it right off of a busy throughfare. Kind of keeps the little ones corralled in. There is only one way in and one way out. There is no restroom facilities or water, so plan accordingly. The park was once the site of the Outlaws Motorcycle Gang clubhouse before the city took over the property after its seizure by federal authorities. This is a very nice park. I had past the park a few times and it was packed. I really like it. It can definitely entertain the little ones for hours. It is surely worth a visit.

Brown's Corner Park is a 3.22 acre park that is, quite accurately, a corner park existing at the…read morecorner of East Washington Street and Emerson Avenue. The park is named after 2ndd Lt. Hilton Brown, who as a young boy would play Army in the area. Lt. Brown ended up being killed in France during World War I. As Ken N. noted in his review, there's a plaque in the park that explains who Lt. Brown is along with one honoring the life of painter William Forsyth. The park has no amenities. It is adjacent to Pleasant Run and does tie into the trail. The park recently experienced some clearing out of its wooded area due to a homeless encampment that existed within the park area. There's a short turn lane here to access East Washington. This is adjacent to a residential area and also can easily access two gas stations directly across the street. This is certainly not a destination park, however, it does sit on the edge of Irvington and definitely recognizes some Irvingtonian history. While the Kin Hubbard Memorial is directly across from Brown's Corner, it is actually a separate park. There's no real reason to stop here unless you're like Ken - who had a passion for documenting Indiana's parks as part of his Yelp involvement - or like me and simply pass it on a daily basis to and from work. I'd probably give it a 3-4 in terms of access. You can fairly easily park in the residential area if you want to visit. There are curb cuts here, however, the park does have a bit of a rolling landscape with the exception of the easy to use trail that goes through it.

This small park lies on a triangular piece of land at the corner of Washington and Emerson. The…read morepark is named after Hilton U Brown, a field artillery lieutenant who died in the battle of the Argonne in World War I. The park has no amenities other than a small drive through lane for parking if you are headed westbound on Washington Street. Most of the park is wooded along the Pleasant Run river. A small plaque is on site to tell visitors who Lt Brown was. A second marker can be found in the park. It is for painter William Forsyth, one of the Hoosier Group around the turn of the 20th century who lived and had a workshop in a home diagonally across the street from the park. Unfortunately, the home was destroyed long ago and only the marker is left to remember the significance of the works painted there. Review #557