I get that this park is meant for soccer games, more soccer games, and even more. There is a…read morereally well designed parking and landscaped area that looks nice, but basically, this is 30+ acres of lawn surrounded by "natural" (unmowed) property. They have added a central facility that I read acts as a restroom for the park, but it looks rather small if they ever have a lot of teams playing at once. The website mentions that there is supposed to be a playground and basketball court, but I couldn't find them from the parking lot. I even checked the satellite images and couldn't find either amenity. Unless the images are really old, they don't exist. I also checked the website and the pdf map of the park only shows six of the fields and no playground/basketball. Something is not making sense and that makes me disappointed with what I found. Note: The name comes from the park being a partnership between Caterpillar (heavy machinery company) and the City Parks Dept. Review #1073

I know that this place isn't for cats, but my cat loves going to this park! Honestly it's such a…read morenice place for children, and dogs! So much room to run and enjoy the day! Make sure you pick up after all your babies fur or not!

This is an amazing park tucked away in a small suburb of Lafayette. It sits right in front of the…read morezoo and spans 40 acres. It is relatively well maintained and clean. There is tons of parking available, spread out between a couple of lots and some street parking. The park has lots of shelters with picnic tables under them and a grill just outside of them. I would say there are at least 18 of them that are available to be rented. The park also has a couple of shuffle boards that you can play and a loose picnic tables scattered on the grounds. The park is home to an amazing playground that has just about everything you would want in a playground. It's only negative is that it is on a bed of wood chips. The area is pretty large and divided into different areas for recommended age groups. There is a wide mix of equipment here including traditional and toddler swings, a saucer swing, sit-n-spins, slides, expression swings, and a teen area with a jungle gym that has a suspended pebble bridge and monkey rings. There is a huge jungle gym that sits a top a hill in the area that has a bunch of slides and some monkey bars. The equipment seems to be in pretty good repair and looks great, even though it is a bit older. You will find a share a book kiosk and a glider swing in the area as well. The park features a train depot that sits right across from the zoo entrance and it has an operational train that goes around the park. It was not running while I was there because it was out of season. I really liked the park's man-made lagoon that winds through it. It very picturesque and calming. It adds a nice touch to the park. They have a little pier on the lake where they do paddle boat rentals, in season. You will see little amphitheater at the park. It seems relatively new and is very nice. it has seating and a scenic little plaza area with picnic tables that over look the park's lagoon. There is also a trail, the Columbian Trail, that weaves in and around Columbian Park. It is well paved and has a very scenic view. What sets this park apart though is its veterans area. They have a large area, the Memorial Plaza, located along the water dedicated to memorials to veterans. They have the United Spanish War Memorial, Gold Star Family Memorial, Medal of Honor Memorial, Purple Heart Memorial, and the Vietnam Memorial. There is also a bunch of flag waving from flags poles over there and a Howitzer gun on display. You will also see the Tippecanoe County Veterans Memorial, which is the oldest memorial in the park, dating back to 1949. I did not see a bathroom facility dedicated to the park, but I was able to use the one attached to the Zoo's entrance. It was very nice and well maintained. Also located on the water is the Rush Pavilion which serves as a clubhouse that can be rented for special events. It can hold up to 50 people and includes access to a full service kitchen. The wrap around porch can hold an additional 100 people. This is a destination park that you can easily spend a half of day without even going to the zoo or amphitheater. It has everything that I look for in a park and more. It is very picturesque and I really enjoyed my time there. I also like, that they included salutes to veterans in their planning. I highly recommend checking this place out. It checks off all the boxes and will not disappoint.

Im actually sad this park is not closer to home for me. We enjoyed walking around the lake. They…read morehave paddle boats, an amphitheater, lots of picnic shelters and grills, and a small train. Plus playground equipment, a beautiful banquet hall, and a small zoo. My favorite part was the swinging benches. I'd be there all the time if I lived by this park.

This is a nice park and show what a community can do together. Many of the park's amenities are…read moredonated such as the shelter, exercise equipment, and playgrounds. It was reimagined almost 10 years ago in 2014. There is free street parking available for the park and you could also park in the Bauer Family Center lot, which it sits behind. The park is not very big and has a decent full basketball court, a shelter with picnic tables under it, and a a couple of playgrounds. There is fitness equipment there, but it looks to be in fair condition, and thats generous. There are two playground areas here. They are both on the rubbery mat surface that are popping up at most new parks. There is an area for smaller kids that is fenced in and has a jungle gym with a tiny bridge, and some slides. There is also a low hanging swing there and a metal bench for caregivers to sit and watch the littles play. The other playground area, for bigger kids, has a bank of traditional/toddler swings. This area features a monstrous jungle gym contraption over there. As well as a stand up see-saw, and seat spinners. The equipment seems relatively new and is in great repair. The park has a hole seems to be well maintained and was clean. There is a fence around the entire park's perimeter. Other park amenities include a shower, which I found random, a glider swing, a share a book kiosk, and some benches (the Buddy Bench). This is not a destination park, but is a very nice community park that is nestled in a small neighborhood.

The SIA (Subaru of Indiana Automative) South Tipp Park was made over and rededicated in 2014 next…read moreto the Bauer Family Center on South 3rd St. The park looks great and kids seem to be enjoying it every time I go by. There are distinct playgrounds for different age groups and on the older kid side, there is a basketball court too. Parking is limited to street parking for the park visitors, but there is a lot for the Bauer Family Center if visiting both places. I was able to street park on Fountain St without any problems. There is also a small shelter area for shade since the trees on the property are on the perimeter and don't offer much shade to the playground. Note that the Bauer and other neighborhood buildings have murals that add fun backdrops to the playgrounds. Review #1086

Nice little dog park! Great if you want to give your pet a little change of scenery.read more

The majority of the space is a fenced area for dogs to run and play. In the middle of the park is…read moreroller hockey court (also fenced). I didn't see any nets so I am not sure how useful the courts are. Alongside the roller hockey is a row of basketball goals. On the north end of the park is the playground area where there are separate pieces for older and younger kids to play on. Parking is along the east edge of the park and was plentiful. Note that the dog park is set back from the street beyond the courts and shelter which is on the south end of the park. Review #1087

I traveled to Lafayette recently for a site visit related to work. Along the way, I took the…read moreopportunity to visit a few places including this small, almost pocket park located near the site of the former Linnwood Elementary. This park underwent a bit of renovation in 2020 with a brand new multi-age playground being added in what is really a small area. This park is only about a 1/2-acre park with a basketball court, shelter, and the multi-age playground. It's a nicely kept park with appropriate signage and parking is mostly in the surrounding residential area. This is definitely in a residential area and easily within sight of several homes. It's not a destination park by any means, however, it's a solid option for those living in this area of Lafayette. I will note that this is not an accessible park. I think a wheelchair user could function in terms of getting around, however, the playground equipment would likely require some assistance. Getting around the park, however, should be fine for those with mobility issues. Overall, this is a pleasant but unremarkable park that is well-maintained and a great option for those in the area with children. While it would present with some issues for those with disabilities, with supervision or assistance I'm guessing there's fun to be had here for younger children of all abilities.

Linnwood is a small corner park that is beautifully landscaped. After street parking across 15th…read morestreet, I was immediately aware that the park was well maintained and had been planned, not just thrown together. After the flower beds along the paved pathway leading into the park, the small playground is on the visitor's left, the shelter and tables are roughly straight ahead, and in between those is a basketball court in the back corner. Additional benches can be found along the pathways. Seems like a nice place for relaxing! Review #1082

So we came here on a Sunday afternoon to check out the creek which is adjacent to the park…read more Parking: ample space, on gravel. Unfortunately there is very little shade so your car ends up roasting under the sun. The place could definitely use with some nice green trees to provide natural shade. Restrooms: off to the left you'll see a brown, wooden construction which has male and female restrooms. I went into the female one and almost ran back out. There were two stalls but with no doors. Completely infested with mosquitoes (no joke) and just overall really filthy. I would highly advise against using them unless you are absolutely desperate. If you keep walking past the restrooms you'll see a narrow trail that leads to the creek. The creek is nice and the water is pretty shallow in most places. Good picnic spot, or a place to bring kids, or just hang out with friends/read a book.

Wea Creek Park is predominantly a baseball complex with the majority of the parking in a gravel lot…read moreon the south side of the baseball diamonds. There is a central complex that has concessions and restrooms. Some of the diamonds even have lighting for night games. If you look carefully, there is a small playground located on the west end of the complex and thoughtfully, not too far from the parking lot. Review #1068

5 stars. Nice wide…read morepath. There are nice restrooms located at the education center. We saw lots of wildlife: squirrels, deer, raccoons, birds, etc. The raccoon was the fattest I've ever seen - and he crawled out of the garbage can at the education center. Scared me to death! Excellent for jogging, walking, biking, whatever.

The set of trails here runs by what I would call a lake through some woods, wetlands, and meadows…read more It isn't the most amazing environment I've ever seen by any means, but it offers a nice variety of sights, and perhaps moreso a distinctive soundscape. The infrastructure was quite well maintained, with signs apologizing that some trees had to be cut down due to parasites, but overall a clean set of trails, a visitor center with needed facilities, and a bike path running through. I did not see any celery; I'm not sure if I'm missing something or if this is just my own ignorance of what the actual plant looks like.

The canal boat ride and interpretive talk were outstanding. The museum was great with several…read moreinteractive areas for kids. A place drenched in history!

When I arrived at the park, I was surprised that there was so much to look at. It's not like most…read moreparks. This one has a pioneer village with log cabins, a museum (which was closed for a private event during my visit), and canal boat rides. The village is open to walk through and includes the Case Reed House which was moved from downtown to this site around 1986. The house was converted to a hotel for travelers after being a private residence. The canal boats are colorful and provide guided tours for those who wish to take the trip. I didn't have time to go on the ride, so I can't say how much it costs or how often the rides leave the dock. There is also a trail that runs through the park along the canal. This is a nice piece of local history from an era when Indiana thought it could be a navigable transportation area with the help of canals. Review #2792