I've been spending some time in Beech Grove over the Memorial Day holiday this year, and I realized…read moreI'd never really checked out Don Challis Park. This is a 14-acre park named after a longtime Beech Grove resident who was devoted to improving the community and the area's parks. If you visit the city's website, you'll even see a letter from the Challis family on the parks department page. The park is adjacent to South Grove Intermediate School. It's accessible from 9th Avenue, and it features a picnic shelter, playground equipment, a volleyball court, and a good amount of green space with mature trees. From May-October, the shelter can be rented for $65 for Beech Grove residents and non-profits. Non-residents pay $100. The park has experienced some upgrades in recent years, though in 2022 there was a shooting at the park during a vigil. To my knowledge, it was targeted (during a vigil) and I've never seen the park have any other issues. I've always felt safe around the park and in Beech Grove. Don Challis Park does have parking available, and there's also a public restroom (I think the restroom might be seasonal, though I'm not sure). Don Challis Park is a solid community park. I wouldn't call it a destination park, but it serves the community well. For a relatively small city, Beech Grove does well with its parks.

This is a nice little park in Beech Grove. It was originally named South Grove Park, but was later…read morerenamed to Don Challis Park, after a man who diligently worked for 29 years to make the parks in Beech Grove a wonderful place for children and adults to enjoy. The park has its own private lot. It appears to be going through some type of renovation. Maybe a paved jogging trail or something. It is relatively small, sitting at about 14 acres. It has a a covered pavilion with picnic tables, a playground, a sand volleyball court, and a little green space to play or sit and have a picnic. The park also has a huge restroom facility. The playground is lined with wood chips and has a jungle gym with some slides and a long row of swings. The sand volleyball court is in adequate shape and the park's grounds are well maintained. This is a decent park to spend some time. You can hang out with the little ones or just relax and watch cars go by. It looks like they are set on improving this park and making it even better.

This is a small pocket park located in Cumberland and was dedicated in 1999. It does not have a…read moredesignated parking lot. So, I was able to find a spot on the side of the road to park in and visit the park. It also does not have a bathroom, but there is a port-a-potty nearby. The park is fenced completely fenced in has a grill that is off by itself, a small patch of green space that you could play catch or have a picnic. The park has a bank of toddler/traditional/ADA swings, a small playground area with a tunnel and a medium sized jungle gym with slides, a tunnel bridge and a rock climbing wall. The equipment is in decent shape, but one of the swings is missing off of the bank. You will find a picnic tables under a shade tree and a few benches at the park, one of which overlooks the play area. The park also has a less than half basketball court with a rim that appears to be about 7 or 8 feet high. I finally found a court that I can dunk on. Anyway, the court is decent and is perfect for a little one to shoot around. It is not a very good court to run a game. In the back corner of the park you will find a small memorial to notable Cumberland residents. A ceremony honoring those citizens is held annually at the park. This is decent park, but definitely not a destination park, and is used primarily by families in the nearby neighborhoods, which explains the lack of a parking lot. It seems to be adequately maintained, but does not get a lot of use. I was teetering between at a 3.5 rating, but felt that the park was closer to a three than a 4 due to lack of amenities.

Honors Park in Cumberland is one of the town's newer parks. It's practically the definition of a…read moreneighborhood park with a focus on playground equipment for smaller children and a fenced in perimeter to keep those same children safe. The playground equipment is your basic equipment - swing set, slide, stuff to climb on. While someone in a wheelchair could technically wheel to the area, this is not an accessible park. The best feature of Honors Park is its memorial monument area. The monument is engraved with the names of Honors Park honorees - the recognition honors those who've contributed to the growth and welfare of the town of Cumberland and specifically cannot include active politicians. Honors Park has the usual greenery that you'd expect. While it's not a fancy park, Cumberland takes their park areas seriously and Honors Park is no exception. It's beautifully green, well kept, and the playground equipment is in good condition. While it's far from a destination park, it's a nice neighborhood park for those in the area.

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.

DuBarry Park is a 27-acre park that was acquired by Indy in 1967. It is located behind Tindley…read moreSummit Academy and has a playground, basketball and tennis courts, a football field, a pond, greenspace, and a fairly freshly updated playground. DuBarry's ponds are stocked with fish by Indiana DNR. There is a bathroom facility, though it's not always available. The park is located in a residential area and is utilized fairly well. When I worked for a youth mentoring agency, we would often meet some of our youths in this park. There's a decent shelter with picnic tables and a nicely done, short walking trail that I consider wheelchair friendly. DuBarry now has 3 pickleball courts, though there are no nets or backstops (there are posts for a net - which means if you have the net you could easily use it here). In 2024, a funding for a new splash pad was noted. DuBarry has seen sporadic issues with violence - most noteworthy a double killing of two teenagers in 2022 - Isaiah Jackson and Da'vonta White (ages 15, 14). While I think that's worth mentioning, I've never felt unsafe in the area and I have multiple friends who regularly visit and use the trail at this park without any concerns.

This park is a hidden gym. tucked away in a little neighborhood. There is a decent private parking…read morelot there. It was opened in 1967 and is a deceptive 27 acres. They have a small picnic shelter with some picnic tables under it. There is also a small bathroom facility that was locked when I was there. You will find 2 very nice full basketball courts. The rims are lower than regulation, which I am cool with and the court is nice and smooth. The park also has a huge field with uprights on both ends, so you can host football games, soccer games, play catch, work out, fly a kit or do other field activities. There are also a few other pockets of green space around the park to do activities as well. There is decent paved walkways around the park hat can be used for jogging or walking. The park also features a small lake. That was very popular with neighborhood fishermen. The park is somewhat well maintained but there is pockets of areas that are trashed. The parking lot had a lot of burned candles and disposed food containers. There is also an excessive amount of goose poop all over the park and especially under the covered shelter and on the paved walkway. There are 4 decent small tennis courts there and they would be very nice if they had nets. There are benches behind the courts and on the basketball court's baseline. The highlight of the park has to be its playground. It has two colorful large jungle gyms with slides and rock climbing walls. There is also a unity teeter tunnel see-saw, a bank of traditional swings, some little kid cars, a ski like thing, a mulitspinner carousel, a forest giraffe and stand & spin. The play area is lined with wood chips and the equipment is in good repair. This park has recently been in the news and has had its safety called into question. The candles in the parking lot, are from what I am assuming was the vigil held there. But that was 2 months ago. Anyway, I felt pretty safe while I was there, but I was not there long. This is a nice park. I think the issue that it had in March is an outlier. Outside of people fishing, I was the only one at the park. I had it all to myself. If you can get past the security issues, it is a nice park and definitely worth a visit.

This park has been overrun by a baseball complex that is home to the Oaklandon Youth Organization…read more(OYO). It is a nice park and has two playgrounds, one on each side, some decent sized pockets of green space where you can have a football game, soccer match or fly a kite. They are mostly used for warm up areas where some of the young ball players are tossing the ball around. They have a decent sized parking lot, but when the ball teams are playing, parking gets kind of crazy and it is hard to find a spot. Even finding a spot in the grass was difficult for me. The playground areas are on a bed of wood chips and has a bank of swings and a large jungle gym with monkey bars, a couple of slides and more.It is in decent shape and is relatively new. I will admit, the areas are both kind of small and do not have much equipment, You will find a picnic shelter here with a couple of tables under it. It could use a few more.Also, during games, they have snack bars and restrooms available. The baseball portion of the park consists of 13 fields, 2 restroom/concession stands, and two batting cages. This is a nice facility and can host some big tournaments. in front of Fields 1 and 4 you will find the park's centerpiece, the Chosin Memorial, which consists of a path, a nice sculpture, and a group of flag poles representing the county and all the branches of service. This is a nice park, even though it is mainly for baseball/softball. It is in very good shape and well maintained. My little's did find the playground very entertaining and it was difficult for them to leave. The good part was that the playground that we were at was empty. We were the only ones there. The one of the other side was packed though.

A really nice park for baseball and softball or for the kids to come and play. OYO is pretty…read moreawesome and what they do with the fields to make them look good it's just as amazing. Highly recommend if you have a child from the ages of three on up to look at this club for baseball or softball. Great location and easy to get to.

This is a pretty decent park. It has a decent sized private parking lot and a community center. The…read moreplayground is awesome. It does not just have a rock climbing wall. it has a rock to climb. There is a nice dragon fly shaped see-saw, a wasp looking small jungle gym with a slide, a new style climber dome, a swing set with a saucer swing, and some other newer style swings, some percussion instruments like congos, and a medium size jungle gym with ladders, cargo nets, ropes stairs and a slide. The park is home to a small but decent splash pad. It was not operational while I was there because I visited off-season. Nect to the splash pad is a pretty decent full basketball court. It is well maintained and the court, rims and back board look new. You will find two shelters on opposite ends of the park with picnic tables under them. There are no grills however. The larger of the two shelters is by the community center. There is also a half basketball court over there. It is as nice as the full court. I could really make it rain there. Many people that visit the park are there to utilize its half mile trail that goes around the park's perimeter. It is a very nice paved trail that is popular among runner, walkers, and dog walkers a like. To top it all off the park has some green space pockets that can be used for pick up soccer or football games, playing catch, tossing a frisbee around or having a picnic. This is a very nice park that has a lot to offer and is very accessible. I enjoyed my time at the park and could only imagine if the community center and splash pad was open how I would a felt. I recommend checking out this place. It is even worth a little bit of a drive to get to.

This new park/playground/athletic field looks like a great new addition to the Indy Park system…read more The park was originally built in 2002 across the street, but due to some changes in circumstances in 2011, a plan was made to exchange property and move the park to its present location. Like all plans, it has taken awhile to get the park to the final stages which should be done later this year. In the meantime, the park has hiking trails, a splash area, a ton of playground equipment, and basketball courts. There is a spacious new parking lot and the community center is nearing completion. The only negative I can see is the landscaping. They are sowing grass around the latest construction areas and have a sweeping lawn between the playground and pavilion on the south end. However, there is a noticeable absence of trees for shade. It would be great to see at least some trees planted along the trails and near the playground to eventually offer a place to cool down. Review #566

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.

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.